The Siren's Song
by LumiOlivier
Summary: AU. Beware a frozen heart desperate for warmth...What a load of garbage...Right?
1. Unnecessary Romance

**A/N: Hi there. For those of you who may be new here, I'm Lumi. I'm a Sagittarius. My blood type is…I don't even know. And my interests include anything that would interest an old lady (ie. Knitting, tea, not wanting to deal with people, but hoping my grandkids still call, a succulent garden, etc.) and cartoons that were not made in my home country. So, if you remember a little gem of the internet called "The Princess and the Dragon" that worked out as a nice, little NaLu fic, I wrote that one, too! If you haven't read it yet, I suggest you do. It was one of my favorites. After rereading that for the umpteenth time, I thought why not do a little more of that? I've been wanting to write another Fairy Tail fic for a while now, but I couldn't think of what to do. So, out of that, this brainchild was born. I'll talk to you a bit more when we get to the end, ok? I'll let you read now. **

Long jobs were the worst. It only paid twenty thousand jewel, too. I mean, I couldn't be too upset, but that last job took forever. Whoever heard of a fortune teller squatting in the middle of the woods? I had bug bites in places I didn't even know were possible. Besides, she was more than likely a total fake. She did say that if I let her go, she'd tell me my fortune. That's how I knew she was fake. My future would hold the color blue. Avoid anyone wearing blue. They would bring me great misfortune. If that were true, that wipes out half the guild.

Yeah. I'll believe that when I see it. Although, the fortune teller did say one other thing that bothered me. Beware a frozen heart desperate for warmth. I'm not sure what she was trying to get at, but she was long gone before I could ask. Oh, well. It's not like I'll lose sleep over it. Just the ramblings of some crazy old lady saying she could see into the future. All I wanted now was to go home and kick my feet up. Was that too much to ask?

"Welcome home, Gray." Mirajane…She's always so sweet. I'm so glad she's the first face I see, "How was your last mission?"

"Successful," I took a seat at the bar, "I think. I did what they asked. I collected the reward. Simple as that."

"You seem conflicted," she worried, "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah," I shook off any thoughts of the old woman in the woods, "Just a weird lady faking as a fortune teller."

"Ok," Mirajane was so protective. She acts like our mom, but that's just the way she is, "If you need anything, you know where I'll be."

"Thanks, Mira," I waved her off. Things are nice and quiet in the guild hall today. Almost too quiet…It's great to come home to, but on the other hand, it's also the Fairy Tail guild hall. Quiet isn't the word most would use to describe our guild hall, "Hey, Mira?"

"Yes, Gray?" she slid down the counter.

"Did Natsu take a job?"

"Yep," Mirajane chirped, "Natsu, Lucy, and Happy left earlier this afternoon."

That's why it's so quiet, "Any idea when they're coming back?"

"Probably tomorrow," she figured, "If they can manage to stay on task. But you know how Natsu is."

"Horribly scatterbrained?"

"Lucy helps," Mira held back a giggle, "But Happy doesn't."

"I swear," I sighed out, "When is he going to learn? And Lucy doesn't deserve that. What does she see in that guy?"

"Sounds like someone's harboring a little crush for Lucy."

"Am not!"

"Relax, Gray," Cana stepped in. Or should I say stumbled? "Mira's just looking to get a rise out of you."

"And you fell for it," Mira teased, "Hook, line, and sinker."

"I don't have a crush on Lucy," I swore, "To come between her and Natsu feels criminal. They've been through everything together. I couldn't break that up."

"That's so sweet, Gray," she awed, "Don't worry. You'll find a Lucy of your own someday."

"Who said I was looking?" I rolled my eyes, staring into my lemonade.

"I got a friend that would love to meet you, Gray," Cana insisted, "Who knows? Maybe you'll hit it off."

"I don't need either one of you trying to set me up!" I snapped, finishing my drink, "I'm going to bed."

"Good night," Mira sent me off.

"I'll give my friend your number, Gray!" Cana called after me.

"I'm not answering!"

I slammed my door shut and jumped into bed. Why did those two suddenly decide to play matchmaker? Even worse, why did I have to be the victim? So, Natsu and Lucy are always together and they're so in love without being overly showy about it. Good for them. That doesn't mean I'm looking for that. I just wanted to get some sleep. And after the hours of wandering aimlessly in the woods, being eaten alive by bugs, all for a fake fortune teller, that's not going to be very hard to do.

Beware a frozen heart desperate for warmth, huh? What's that even supposed to mean? Just go to sleep. What's any of that got to do with me? She's probably three towns and a village away by now. I told myself I wouldn't lose sleep over this. I shut my eyes and threw the blankets off the bed. It'll be alright in the morning. At least I hope so.

When I woke up, the old hag's words still burned in my brain. Beware a frozen heart desperate for warmth. What a load of garbage. Then, why is it getting to me so bad? Breakfast? Maybe some food in my belly will make it better. I'm sure this is just a blood sugar thing. A blueberry bagel would hit the spot, but I don't think Mira has done any baking while I'm gone.

"Good morning, Gray," Mira smiled brightly, making me a little bit uneasy for some strange reason, "I hope you slept well."

"Yeah…" What's got her so excited?

"That's wonderful to hear," her eyes sparkled.

"Uh…Mira?" I started to sweat, "Is everything ok?"

"Everything's fine," Mira's cheeriness was unwavering, "Could I borrow you for a minute?"

"That depends," I kept my skepticism up, "What do you need me for?"

"Nothing too strenuous," she promised, leading me down the stairs, "You'll see."

"Is the ice machine broken again?" I assumed.

"Nope," Mira shook her head, leading me to a stage set up on the side with the curtain down.

"Mira…" I don't like where this is going, "What do you need me for?"

"Just need your opinion," she sat me down while everyone curious gathered around the bottom.

"What kind of opinion?" I really don't like where this is going.

"On three lovely Fairy Tail wizards!" Mira pulled up the curtain. Oh, no…I knew I felt uneasy for a reason. And Mira happened to wear blue today. Maybe the fortune teller was real, "We're keeping their identities a secret until the end, so I've also altered their voices."

"Mira," I held my face in my hands, "I said I didn't want you or Cana setting me up."

"Technically, we're not setting you up," she pointed out, "You're setting yourself up."

"Does that mean I can opt out of this altogether?" I hoped, absolutely mortified. They didn't need to put my business on display for the entire guild to gawk at.

"Come on, Gray," Mira begged, "Please?"

I hated this. I hated every single minute of this. Even more so, I hated that I couldn't say no to her. Especially when she makes that face, "Fine…"

"Yay!" she sang, "Shall we get started then?"

I let out a heavy, irritated sigh, "Let's get this over with."

"Wonderful!" Mira began, "So, you'll address each person as number one, two, or three. You'll ask each of them a question from the cards provided. By the last question, you'll make a decision. Simple enough?"

"I guess." What I wouldn't do to be encapsulated in ice right now.

"Fantastic!" Mira took a seat off to the side, "Go ahead and ask your first question."

These were all garbage. I appreciate what Cana and Mira were trying to do for me, but this was a little unnecessary, "Hey, Mira?"

"Yes, Gray?"

"Can I go off script?"

"I would really appreciate it if you didn't."

There goes that plan. Well, it looks like Mira isn't going to let me go. I might as well play along, "First question. Who are all of you?"

"No," Mira stopped me, "You can't ask names until the end."

"Fine." She wasn't making this easy, "What would constitute as your perfect afternoon?"

"That's the spirit!" she finally approved, "Well, ladies? You heard him. Your perfect afternoon."

"Well…" the first one answered, coming off a little shy. It's too bad I couldn't tell whose voice that was. Thanks, Mira, "My perfect afternoon would include a rainy day that's just starting to clear up. But a warm rain. Not a cold one. An open window in my house would let a nice breeze in, along with a heavy, wet earth smell. And…I'd be curled up on my rocking chair with some tea and a stack of light reading. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be a shut-in once in a while."

Mira could hide their faces and their voices, but their personalities were a different story. A day of coziness inside with her face shoved in a book? And happens to be a Fairy Tail wizard? There wasn't a doubt in my mind. The first one is Levy. Don't get me wrong. I liked Levy. She's a sweet girl, but I don't think I'm her type. I'm pretty sure she has a thing for guys twice her size. I appreciate you trying for my sake, Mira, but I don't think Levy's the one.

"Number two?" Mira insisted, "What does your perfect afternoon have in store?"

"You didn't say this was for Gray, Mirajane," Number Two growled angrily. Mira didn't have to hide her voice. The mere tone was enough to send chills down my spine. Erza. Definitely Erza. I don't think anything would be able to happen there either. It's not that I have a problem with women with power. It's just _that _particular woman with power that makes me nervous.

"I also didn't say it's for single wizards in the guild!" She had such a sweet face that she could probably get away with killing someone with her bare hands and no one would question it. We didn't have many women in the guild, let alone single ones. Mira said there were three of them. Levy…Erza…I couldn't think of who the third one. Did we have a new recruit and I'm just finding out about her? I guess I'd find out soon enough. But something tells me that Erza's off the list, "Number three? What's your perfect afternoon?"

"I don't know," Number Three began, "I think it'd start out with someone special by my side. A nice walk along the beach. A day of the sun beating down on both of us, feeling that warmth on our skin. Maybe a little snack. Then, night would fall over the two of us. And nothing else in the world would matter. Because I would have them. And they would have me. The world around us would cease to exist."

Actually…That one did sound kind of nice. Did we really have someone like that hiding in the guild? I mean…I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious. In all honesty, though, it sounded like a line that…Hold on, "I have a question for just number three alone."

"Oh," Mira perked up, "It's nice that you're finally getting into this, Gray. What's your question?"

"What type of magic do you practice, number three?" I asked, "You are a member of the guild after all, right?"

"That's right," Number Three confirmed, "My magic…It's a little complicated. I practice holder magic, but at the same time, I _am _holder magic, so…"

"Mira…" I kept my voice down, "Did you just ask for single wizards in the guild?"

"I did," she nodded, "Why?"

"Did it never dawn on you," I growled, "to maybe _not _ask Loke?!"

"He's a sucker for a good love story," Mira shrugged, "I couldn't turn him down. It was either Loke or Cana, but Cana got a job this morning."

"Then, you date him! I'll pass!"

I was done. I didn't ask to have my love life force fed to me in front of God and everybody. I didn't deserve to be jerked around like this. I didn't ask to be forced to make a choice. I know Cana and Mira were trying to help, but I didn't ask for their help. In fact, I specifically remember telling them not to meddle. I started walking out the door, ready to punch the next person I saw.

"What happened here?" Just the person ripe for the punching. Without hesitation, I sent Natsu flying into the upper level of the guild hall. I wasn't in the mood to deal with him, "HEY! WHAT WAS THAT FOR, GRAY?! I DIDN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING!"

As much as he wanted to retaliate, Lucy held him back. Probably for the integrity of the guild hall itself. With the mood I was in, I could probably flatten the entire building. Right now, I didn't need anything or anyone. All I needed was a quiet place to clear my head.

**A/N: So? How was that? Not too bad, right? Although, I have to admit. I do feel bad for Gray. I don't like putting my babies in distress. Angst fic isn't usually my cup of tea. But sometimes, I do feel like Gray can be a little bit of a powder keg. And with the right fuse, the explosion isn't pretty. But at least he's going to cool off instead of attempting to kill Natsu. So, we have that going for us. **

**Now, every week, my friends, it's going to be you and me until the completion of the story. Every Wednesday. Without fail. Unless I say otherwise. Because…I got a life, too. Sometimes, I take the occasional trip. So, please be nice. Also, if you did come here from "The Princess and the Dragon", let me know. I want to see how many familiar faces I got here. So, I will see you next chapter! xx**


	2. The Magic in the Water

Who did Mira and Cana think they were? No one sees me meddling in their love lives. Definitely not in a public forum. I still need to punch something or someone. Natsu could only get me so far. Without me killing him. Or sending him to space. However, I still needed to blow off some steam. And what better way than some solitude in the woods and throw a pole in the water? Maybe the old fake fortune teller was onto something. A little fishing trip always managed to put me at ease. It's a good thing a certain blue cat wasn't following me for a free meal.

Besides, I don't think Lucy would allow it. She could see it all over my face. I was not in a good place. Then again, anyone could see that. But Lucy could pick up on my moods like no one else. Maybe that's why I liked having her around. Out of everything Natsu has brought home to the guild hall - artifacts, trinkets, Happy - there wasn't a doubt in my mind. Lucy was my favorite. Not just for me. But for the good of the guild. Now, I understood why Mira and Cana thought I had a crush on her.

Why did those two care about it so much anyway? Maybe it wasn't me with the alleged crush on Lucy and they were both into me. No. If that were true, they'd both be fighting over me. Besides, Mira's got her eye on a someone, a particular S-Class wizard. As for Cana, she's in a very committed relationship with a barrel of whatever she can get her hands on. I understand what they were trying to do. Mira and Cana just don't want me to be lonely. That much was true.

What they fail to grasp was that I didn't mind being alone. I liked being in my own company. Some peace and quiet drowning out the loud, hectic chaos that ensues on a daily basis brought me a strange sense of comfort. I guess all the time with Ur in the mountains really stuck with me. That's why I decided to go fishing. At the end of the day, I got to kill something. We'll call that my catharsis. That is...If anything decided to bite.

This sucked. I knew I had to be patient, but I've been at the same spot for the last hour and my pole hadn't even wiggled. I blamed Happy. I bet that gluttonous cat got his greedy little paws in my regular fishing spot and cleaned house. The fish were always biting here when I came any other time. Or maybe this was the kick in the karma for being so cold to Mira, who offered nothing but her help. Or for making Natsu my victim of circumstance. Or for being more trouble than it's worth. I pulled my line out of the water and decided on a walk. I was still out here to clear my head.

The woods that lined the outskirts of Magnolia were the best. Quiet, peaceful. I've hid out here on more than one occasion. When I first got to the guild hall and everyone wanted to corner the new guy, this was my safe haven. Ever since then, I've always retreated to these woods whenever I needed to clear my head. Wrapped in a blanket of lush greenery and...In my walk, the air temperature suddenly dropped. Not that cold bothered me, but I don't remember there being water in these woods. Uncharted territory? Color me curious.

Sure enough, I stumbled on a little pond in the middle of the woods surrounded by boulders of varying shapes and sizes. The rippling water sparkled in the sunlight. However, that may just be more than the sun causing that. I could've sworn I've seen every inch of these woods. Ponds don't just appear overnight. Was this magic? No. It seemed like just a pond. I wonder...

I peeled my shirt off and threw my pole in the water.

...

...twitch, twitch.

...

YANK!

As hard and as fast as I could, I reeled my line in, pulling in at least twenty fish. I didn't care if this pond was magic or not. It was mine! Finally, I caught something today! I thought I'd be going back to the guild hall without catching any fish. Lo and behold, I had a line full. I threw them all back, though. I could eat when I get back to the guild hall. They weren't big enough to eat anyway. Line after line came back fuller than the last. One more cast and I'll go home. I've calmed down enough to face everyone and apologize.

Thwippp...

"Ow!" a voice in the water squeaked. There's someone in there?!

"I'm so sorry," I apologized as the disembodied voice's upper half popped out of the water, her long, blue hair cascading over her shoulders.

"You didn't have to get me in the..." Then, she saw me. And those big, blue eyes of hers sparkled like the water around her. Her cheeks started to turn a light shade of pink, "Hi."

"I'm sorry," I took a seat on one of the flat rocks around the pond, "I didn't know anyone was swimming in here."

"I don't just swim here," she explained, "I live here."

What? How? I had so many questions, "In the water?"

"Where else am I going to live?" she wondered, laying near my feet.

"I don't know," I took a quick look around the woods for any evidence of a house, "But not in the water."

"But that'd be so hard for me," she hid her face.

"Why's that?"

"If I show you..." she played shy, "Do you promise not to run away?"

"I'm still here, aren't I?" I smiled a bit, trying to put her at ease. I poked myself in the chest around my guild mark, "You see this?"

"A guild mark," she noticed, "You're a wizard?"

"That's right," I nodded, "I've seen some weird things in my travels. I have a friend that's a celestial wizard. I have a friend that swallows fire. Said friend has a flying blue cat. I doubt whatever you have to show me will scare me off so easily."

"Ok," she pushed back from the rocks and a glittering fish tail flopped over in her place.

Immediately, my jaw hit the ground, "You're a mermaid?!"

"Is..." Her eyes welled up. Way to go, Gray. And you wonder why you have such bad luck with women, "Is that a bad thing?"

"No, no!" I tried to calm her down, "I've seen a lot of things, but I've never met a mermaid before...Well...One that wasn't trying to kill me."

"Who was it?" she gasped, "Mermaids are peaceful creatures."

"She just looked like a mermaid," I clarified, "But my friend, the celestial wizard I told you about? She was one of her spirits. Aquarius isn't exactly the nicest one she has."

"So, your celestial wizard friend attacked you?"

"No," I went on, "Aquarius just has a chip on her shoulder."

"She wasn't a true mermaid, then?" she figured, "Not like me?"

"No." I couldn't stop staring at her tail. I couldn't believe I was talking to a mermaid either, yet here we were, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Please," she allowed, "I'm sure you have a few."

"Can you get out of the water?" I asked.

"Sort of," she hoisted herself out of the water and onto the flat rock, "I can't exactly walk like you do, but I can swim really well. I'm the fastest one I know, but...Then again, I don't know many others. I like to lay on this rock when it's raining."

"Wouldn't you get cold?"

"I'm always in water anyway," she shrugged, "What difference does it make where it comes from?"

I laughed my stupidity off. She made a good point, "I guess it doesn't make any difference."

"Do you think..." the mermaid by my side got shy again, "Maybe I could ask you a question?"

"Sure." It's only fair, "What do you want to ask me?"

"Could I ask you...what your name is?"

Had we really been sitting here all this time, talking like we knew each other, but we're perfect strangers? That's weird, "It's Gray. What about you? Could I ask you what your name is?"

"Me?" she blushed, "It's...Juvia. Um...Gray?"

"Yeah?"

"When you leave here," Juvia played with a loose strand of her hair, "Will you come and see me again? Do you promise you won't forget me?"

"Sure," I promised, "I'd come see you again. I like this spot. Would that be ok?"

"Of course," she agreed, "On one condition."

I gave her a look, "What condition?"

"That you don't try to land my friends anymore," Juvia requested, jumping back in the water, "I don't like when people meddle in my water, let alone try to capture my friends."

"Oh," I threw my pole out in the woods, "Sorry."

"As long as you promise not to do it again," she stipulated, "I'll forgive you."

"Deal."

"Thank you." And in that moment, I actually saw Juvia smile. My heart jumped a bit. Only because it caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting it to be...So pretty, "Come in."

"Excuse me?" If her smile was enough to catch me off guard, that was a ball to the head from out of left field.

"Come in my water," Juvia reiterated, "You can...If you want. It'll help the scrapes on your hands."

My hook had caught me a few times since I've been out, but they scabbed over quickly, so I didn't even give them a thought, "You don't need to worry about them. I'm fine."

"Could I see your hands?" she asked softly, stretching her hand out to me, "I'll show you."

"I..." I wasn't sure how to feel about this, but a part of me trusted her. I put my hand in hers.

Juvia let out a little gasp as her skin came into contact with mine. Then, she brought my hands to the water. The sparkles from the water worked their way into my cuts and healed them from the inside. Once I took my hands back, they looked like nothing had happened. In all honesty, this water felt kind of nice. I'm sure if I jumped in here after I left the guild hall, I would've been right as rain again. Not cold enough to be a pond, but not hot enough to be considered a hot spring. It's perfect...

"See?" Juvia let my hands go, "I told you."

"Thank you," I studied them a little closer. I wonder what would happen if this pond were to freeze…I'm sure the fish…and Juvia…would freeze with it. I couldn't do that. I looked up in the sky and noticed the sun wasn't there anymore, "I should be going."

"Wait, Gray!" Juvia begged, taking my hand back, "Don't go. Please."

"Hey," I assured, "I'll be back. I just don't want to walk home in the dark. Tomorrow. I promise. I'll be right back here."

She didn't want me to leave. I could see it all over her face. Juvia wanted me to stay with her. If just for a little while longer. As much as it pained her, she let me go, "Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." I affirmed. And just like that, Juvia's oasis in the middle of the woods disappeared the closer I got to town.

Juvia. I met a mermaid today. Now, I'm kind of glad Mira and Cana interfered in my love life. If I wouldn't have wanted to blow off some steam, I wouldn't have found her. She seemed a little jittery. Maybe she doesn't see that many people. I know I've never seen a mermaid before. Maybe I'm just quick to judge. She seemed sweet. And I get to see her tomorrow, too. Wait…Did I just make a date with a mermaid? Nevertheless, I got back to the guild hall unscathed and took a seat at the bar. I'm starving and Mira's cooking was unmatched by anyone.

"Welcome home, Gray," Mira joined me with a glass of lemonade in her hand and a snack, "Are you alright?"

"Better," I sighed out, biting the inside of my cheek.

"About earlier today," she began, "I'm sorry we meddled. You know Cana and I worry about you."

"Hey," I stopped her, "Water under the bridge. No worries."

"You seem to be in higher spirits," Mira noticed, "Where did you go?"

"Mira," I pointed out, "Didn't you just apologize for meddling?"

"I can't be curious about how you spent your day?"

"I just went out," I shrugged, finishing my lemonade and the pretzel bowl, "I'm going to bed. Good night, Mira."

"Good night, Gray."

I wasn't up for much conversation. The fresh air was getting to my head. The promises of a warm bed were far too tempting. And I just wanted to go to sleep. I still had a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I met a mermaid today…And she's kind of cute.

**A/N: Oh, Gray, you lovable, awkward dork. You and women aren't a good combination, are you? But you managed to patch things up with Juvia as quickly as you screwed them up, so you got that going for you! **

**Now, can I be gushy for a sec? You guys have been so sweet about this. I do hope to see more and more of you here. Thank you for giving such a good response to this story. And I couldn't go for much longer without introducing Juvia. Because Juvia's going to be the mermaid in this story! She's not a Phantom Lord wizard, but she can practice magic. She's a mermaid, of course she can. To make a long story short, thank you. It's a pleasure to have you. Now, I'm going to go make some food, edit a chapter of an original story I'm working on, and call it a day. See you next chapter! xx**


	3. A Fight, an Apology, and a Duck

The next morning, I woke up feeling so much lighter. Maybe there was more than just magic in Juvia's oasis. Or maybe it was something else altogether. I did promise her that I'd come back to visit her. And that oasis was so serene, so peaceful. It's not going to kill me to go back. Besides, she seemed really sweet. And holing up in the woods was never a bad way to spend the day. But first, I had to get out of bed and face the rest of the guild.

"Hey, Gray!" There's what I was hoping to avoid. Come on, man. I just got up, "I got a pretty big bone to pick with you from yesterday!"

"Sorry."

Natsu's face went completely blank. Not that it was much different from his normal face, "What?"

"I'm sorry about yesterday," I elaborated, "You happened to catch me at a bad time and I took it out on you. For that, I'm sorry."

"Hold on," he grabbed my arm, "That's it?!"

"That's all I can think of, "I shrugged him off, "Unless there's something else on your mind."

"We're not going to fight?" Natsu wondered. I'm not quite sure what his face was trying to do. And I doubt he knew either.

"No," I shook my head, "We're square. Now, if there's nothing else..."

"Wait a second," Natsu wouldn't let up on me, "What happened to you, Gray? You'd never pass up a chance to fight. And definitely not a chance to fight me. Are you sick or something?"

"No," I assured, "Just not in the mood to fight. Now, do you mind?"

"What if I do?" he blocked me. I swear. It's like Natsu's looking for a fight where there is none, "Do you got somewhere else to be?"

"Yeah, I do," I shoved him aside, "And you're impeding my progress."

"You sound like you got a date," Natsu scoffed.

Is it hot in here? It suddenly got hot in here, right? Why else would I be pouring sweat? Mira must have turned the heat up in here, "Whatever. Let me through. I got places to be. I'll see you later."

"Hold on!"

"What now, Natsu?" I was ready to launch him again, "I'm busy."

"It is a date, isn't it, Gray?" I wanted to dropkick this guy into oblivion.

"Shut up, Natsu."

"It totally is!" One day, Natsu will learn to keep his mouth shut. Today, however, will not be that day, "What's her name? Does she live around here? Come on, Gray. I need some details."

"Shut up, Natsu!" Doesn't he come with a nanny? Where was Lucy when I needed her? She needed to come get her boyfriend before his guts repaint the guild hall, "I don't have a date. I'm going fishing."

"Fish?" Happy popped up out of nowhere, "Maybe we should go, too, Natsu. If Gray's going fishing..."

"No," I turned him down, "The spot I fish is special. You can't come."

"What kind of special?" Happy could be just as relentless as Natsu some days. If not worse, "Like rare fish kind of special? I bet the rare fish are the yummiest."

"Happy," I growled, "If either one of you follow me to my special fishing spot, the fight we didn't have this morning will happen. And it won't be pretty for either one of you. Now, I have somewhere to be that doesn't involve lecturing a cat and a pyro about personal space."

I shoved the pair of morons out of my way and stopped at the bar like any other morning. That was too close for comfort. I didn't want to talk about Juvia yet. At least not with Natsu. It wasn't any of his business. Although, the more I thought about her, the more worked up I got. Should I bring her something? And even if I did, what would I bring her? What does a guy bring to a mermaid? If I don't bring anything, will she be mad at me? I don't know. I've never done this before. I've hardly had relationships with human girls, let alone a mermaid!

"Um...Gray?" Lucy came up behind me and put her hand on my shoulder, "Are you ok? You seem awfully sweaty."

"Yeah," I nodded, "I'm fine. No clue why I'm sweating so much, though."

"Are you sure?" Lucy could read me like a book. And I hated it, "Running a fever maybe?"

"No. Any time I have a fever, it never burns hot."

"Something have you nervous?" she wondered.

"No." Wait a minute. Lucy would probably be a good person, "Hey, Lucy, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, Gray," Lucy took the empty stool next to me, "What's up?"

"Aquarius is like a mermaid, right?"

"Yeah. I mean, she's a celestial spirit, but essentially, she's a mermaid. Why?"

"What does she like?" I twiddled my necklace between my fingers, "What's her favorite flower or her favorite snack food or her favorite kind of present...?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, "I never thought to ask her. Why?"

"Just curious. No reason." If I could only stop sweating.

"Are you thinking about switching your magic type?" Lucy teased, "Because there's only room for one celestial wizard in Fairy Tail. Not to mention, Aquarius isn't bribed so easily."

"Don't worry, Lucy," I chuckled a bit, "You're still going to be the only celestial wizard. I'm too good at the magic I already practice. I wouldn't want to start at square one again."

"Ok." She really was one of the sweetest people I've ever met. Given what she's been through, I'm just glad that wasn't beaten out of her, "By the way, don't let Natsu get to you. We all know he means well, but..."

"He's not the brightest," I knew what she meant, "And he's the most tactless human being to ever exist."

"You don't live with him."

"No, I do not," I gave her a sympathetic smile, "Thanks, Lucy. I'll see you later."

"Bye!"

That was fruitless. I thought Lucy would have something on mermaids because of Aquarius. So much for that idea. I guess I could always ask Juvia directly. She would know, too. Since this would be for her in the first place. There's only one way to find out. And I knew just where to find her. I ran back into the woods on the outskirts of Magnolia in search of the oasis.

That's weird. There was a trail that went into the woods. Then, there was a massive oak tree. Fifty feet east, past the wild berry bushes, and Juvia's oasis was right here. If that's the case, then why does this pond just look like a pond? It's like the magic got sucked out of it. Algae started forming on the water's surface. Did I hallucinate meeting Juvia yesterday?

"Hello?" I took a seat on one of the boulders and stared into the water, "Juvia? Are you home?"

Silence. Maybe it was the mixture of anger and adrenaline trying to protect me, so it made Juvia. It's not like I had any concrete evidence we met. The cuts on my hands usually healed fast anyway, so that would explain her healing me. Or not, as the case may be. Well, I guess it was too good to be true. Might as well go home.

"Gray...?" a soft, sweet voice bubbled up from the water. Everything around the oasis started to glow. Just to be sure this was real, I bit down hard on my tongue. A little twinge ran through my mouth just as a cute mermaid crested from the water, "You came back."

"As promised," I got closer to the water's edge, "Hi."

"I missed you," Juvia beamed, "I'm so happy you're here."

"I told you I would," I pointed out, "Besides, I had a few more questions to ask you about your kind."

"I'd be glad to answer all of them," she allowed, "But could I ask you something first?"

"Go ahead," I undid my shirt buttons.

"I want you to come swim with me," Juvia blushed a little. So innocent. And it only made her face cuter.

"Are you sure?" I worried, "Would it be ok for a human to swim in a mermaid's waters?"

"It's perfectly safe," she promised, offering me her hand, "Please?"

Who was I to turn her down? And I already knew how nice this water was. Maybe being in the water can help with my sweating problem. At least it would hide it to some extent. I mean, water on water, right? I took Juvia's hand, "Alright. I'll come swim with you."

"Yay!" Juvia pulled me in, keeping a hold on my hand, "See? Isn't this so much easier than talking from the rocks?"

"This is nice," I agreed, "But can I ask you my questions now?"

"Go ahead."

"How much do you know about the world outside the water?" I wondered.

"On land?" Juvia thought, "Where you are all the time?"

"For the most part."

"Not very much," she admitted, swishing her fin around in the water, "I can't exactly get out of here. I know I can spend some time outside the water, but not for too long or breathing gets to be difficult. That's why I like to go on the rocks when it's raining. That way, I'm still getting water on me."

"So," I thought it over for a minute, "If someone from land were to want to bring you something, would you want him to?"

"What do you mean?" Juvia wasn't understanding. Something wasn't clicking with her.

"Like..." I bit the inside of my cheek, "A present."

"You don't have to bring me anything, Gray," she splashed me a bit, "I don't need anything."

"What if I want to?" I splashed her back, "What's your favorite flower?"

"Well," Juvia hid a smile from me, "Lotuses grow so pretty on my water. They're so big and pink. I love them so much. And water lilies. Water lilies are pretty, too. Blue ones."

"Maybe I could bring you some," I figured, "Next time I come here."

"There's going to be a next time?" she gasped, sinking down into the water.

"Yeah," I nodded, "Promise. Not sure when next time will be, but I wouldn't want to show up empty handed."

"You don't have to bring me anything," Juvia gurgled, "It's too much."

"But I want to," I settled her. Then, genius struck, "Alright. If you don't want me to bring you anything, I won't bring you anything."

"Thank you," she came back up and laid against the rocks.

Let's see...If she doesn't want me to bring her anything, I guess I'm just going to have to find a way around that. Thank you, Ur. I stuck my hands under the water and brought them back up with a duck made of solid ice, "What if I make you something instead?"

"Where did that come from?" Juvia squeaked, her eyes sparkling over.

"I made it," I pushed the duck across the water, "Just now."

"Just now?" she marveled at her new icy friend.

"Yeah," I nodded, "I told you I was a wizard, Juvia. This is my magic."

"It's beautiful, Gray," Juvia's face turned bright red, "But won't it melt?"

"No," I promised, "It's magic made ice. That's not going to ever melt unless I make it melt."

Without another thought, Juvia threw her arms around my neck, almost pulling me under the water with her, "Thank you...I love it. Really, I do."

"You're welcome," I hugged her back, "Tell you what. If you liked that one so much...Do you mind if I try another one?"

"Go ahead," she allowed, letting me go.

"You may want to back up a little," I insisted, preparing another stance. A bright light shined under the water and up floated an icy lotus blossom, "And you said you didn't want me to bring you flowers."

"These are so much better than you bringing me flowers," Juvia awed, "But...Do you think you could make a jellyfish?"

"Jellyfish are easy," I zapped a couple of them, "See? You didn't have a specific kind of jellyfish in mind, did you?"

"No," she swam under the water and around her new friends, "I can do magic, too! Would you like to see?"

"Sure," I smiled, "Go ahead. Show me what you got."

"You'll have to get out first," Juvia ordered, "I need a bit of space."

"Ok," I played along, not sure what awaited me. The flat rock looked like a comfortable spot, "Show me."

"Alright." Juvia raised her hand, bringing some of the water with her. I had heard of mermaids being graceful creatures, but there was something different about Juvia. When she brought her magic with her, it was almost as if she were dancing. Not just in the water, but around it. Suddenly, the brown, dying plants were lush and green again. A soft rumble of thunder hummed over the land only for it to rain in one spot. Her magic was so beautiful, so hypnotizing. I couldn't keep my eyes off her. When she finished, Juvia splashed back down and under the water, "Well? What did you think?"

"Your magic is beautiful, too," I gushed.

"Just as pretty as yours?" she sunk back under.

"Maybe even prettier," I jumped back in, bringing her back to the surface.

"I'll always dance for you, Gray," Juvia promised, "Any time you want me to...But..."

Out of nowhere, Juvia's smile went away, "Hey...What's wrong?"

"I just wish I could be on land for you..."

It broke my heart to hear her so sad. Juvia always came across so sweet. I hated to see that snuffed out so quickly, "You don't have to be on land for me. I can always come visit you."

"It's more than that, though," Juvia stared into the water, "I've always wanted to see the world on land. But I've never been able to. I've always been told that it's dangerous for one of our kind to be on land for long. I want to walk amongst the humans. Just once. That's all I ask. But I don't want that to be your burden."

Huh. Interesting. Sometimes, I worry about the way my brain works, but I may have an idea, "Juvia…Would you be ok with meeting a friend of mine?"

"I don't know, Gray…" she grumbled.

"It'll be alright," I promised, "I'd have to run it by them first, though."

"Well…" Juvia mulled it over, "I guess…Maybe…"

"Ok," I popped up out of the water, "I'm going to go head back to my guild hall. I'll see you soon, ok? And I'll let you know next time I come through if I bring my friend back or not."

"Ok," she let me go, "I'll miss you."

"Hey," I couldn't stand to see that sad look on her face. I had to leave her smiling, so I put my shirt back on and floated one last lotus blossom to her, "I'll be back. Soon, ok?"

"Ok." There it was. There's that smile that warmed my heart a little, "I'll see you soon."

"See you later."

I wonder…I'm hoping so. I loved hanging out with Juvia. And I loved seeing her. But I hated seeing her so bummed. Who's to say that something bad would happen to her if she were out of her oasis for, say, an afternoon? Or a night? Or for a whole day? And if I'm not mistaken, I knew a certain wizard that may be able to help me out. And it's not like she didn't owe me one.

"Welcome back, Gray," Mira greeted me at the door, "Did you take a job this morning? I don't remember seeing you at the request board."

"I had some other business to take care of," I hopped up on a barstool, "Hey, Mira, can I ask you a question? It's about your takeover magic."

"What about it?" she brought me a lemonade. Bless her. I'm parched.

"Could you project it on someone else…?"

**A/N: And so, the plot thickens. Gray's really liking this chick. And I'm liking their relationship. Just them playing in the water like this was so pure. It melted me inside like nobody's business. Gray's got a plan to get Juvia out of the water. Things are coming together so quickly and things are moving so fast. But what will getting Juvia out of the water do to them both? Is that even possible? I suppose we'll find out soon enough. See you next chapter! xx**


	4. Stuck to His Shoe

"Project it?" Mira wasn't sure what to make of my question. I could understand why, but she owed me. And now seemed like a really good time to cash in, "What would you need me to project my magic for?"

"I'm just curious," I stammered, "I want to know. Can you project your magic or no?"

"I suppose I could try," she figured, "What would I be projecting?"

"Something human."

"You'll have to be more specific, Gray," Mira slid me a lemonade.

Well…It looks like I won't be able to keep Juvia a secret for much longer. No one knew about her for her own safety. It's not like Juvia had any protection. She'd be like shooting fish in a barrel. I bet I could make a barrier for her. But it's only Mirajane. I'm sure it'll be ok, "Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course I can," she promised, "Gray, what's going on? Is everything ok?"

"I have a new friend," I kept my voice down, "She doesn't have human legs. And only half of her looks human. I told her I'd talk to you about seeing if I could help her walk."

"I'm just happy you're meting people," Mira smiled, "I'd be happy to meet her and help any way I can."

"Not right now, though," I stopped her, "She's really skittish around new people and I don't want to put her under that much stress."

"I understand," she let it go, "Ask her if she'd be ok with meeting me and get back to me, ok?"

"I will." Now that I had that taken care of, I could worry about everything else, "Thank you, Mira."

"It's no problem," Mira assured, "I do owe you for yesterday morning. Do you need anything else while you have me here?"

"Not that I can think of."

Although, in feeling around my pockets, I came to a disheartening realization. I'm running low on cash. I haven't taken a job since the fortune teller. Looks like I'm going to have to stand in front of the request board for a minute or two. Hopefully, I can find something easy with a good pay that won't keep me longer than a day. But I wasn't the only one looking for work.

"This one sounds good," Natsu read the flyer, "But clearing out all the bugs sounds rough."

"Bugs?" Lucy gagged, "Eww! Come on, Natsu. Can't you pick anything cleaner?"

"Maybe Gray can come with us!" Excuse me? Gray can do what now?

"And they're not bugs," Happy clarified, "They're slugs!"

"What do you say, Gray?" Natsu offered, "You want to come on a job with us?"

"Not with slugs," I felt Lucy's pain. Not dealing with slug slime. No, thank you.

"What about this one?" Lucy took a different flyer, "This guy lost a priceless amulet in Star Lake."

"That sounds like fun!" Natsu approved, "Come on, Gray. You're a good swimmer, right?"

"No," I shot him down, "I can find work on my own."

"The job pays 120,000," Lucy begged, "Please, Gray. The more bodies we have, the quicker we find this guy's amulet."

A missing amulet, huh? I could stand a good swim and 40,000 jewel sounded like a good day's work. Star Lake was a few towns over, "Well…If you really need me…Yeah. I'll join you."

"Yay!" Happy squeaked.

"If Erza wasn't on a job," Natsu noticed, "We'd have the team back together."

"She's taking care of monsters in the mountains," Mira chimed in.

"And she didn't invite us," Happy pouted.

"It's settled!" Natsu declared with fire in his eyes, "We'll leave tonight."

"Try again," Lucy grabbed him by the collar, "We'll leave in the morning when we're all well-rested instead of rushing into things. We had this talk on Thursday, Natsu."

"Yeah…" It's amazing how she could flip his off switch like that, "I guess you're right."

"Glad you see things my way," she smirked in satisfaction, "Gray? Do you want to crash at my house for the night? That way, we can take off right away in the morning."

"Yeah," I nodded, "Thanks, Lucy."

"And Natsu," Lucy growled, "I hope you'll play nice."

"Hey!" Natsu jumped on the defensive, "He started it!"

"Did not!" I snapped. When Natsu thinks it's funny to hide my clothes in the vents around Lucy's house, retaliation is required.

"I just want my house to stay in one piece!" Lucy put her foot down, "No screwing with each other while I'm asleep. No fighting. If there's so much as a glass out of place when I wake up tomorrow morning, I'm throwing you both to Erza when she comes back."

"Got it."

"No fighting."

Natsu and I had a mutual respect for Erza. That ran on mostly fear.

When the four of us got to Lucy's, we all parted ways at the living room. Natsu and Lucy went to Lucy's bedroom. Happy balled up in front of the oven. Me? I knew where I could sleep. Aside from my bed at the guild hall, Lucy's couch was my home away from home. Comfortable, until Happy claims my stomach as a bed. I wouldn't be here long, though. Once I was sure everyone was good and sleeping, I slipped out the front door. If we're going out of town, I had a loose end to take care of.

I know it's late, but hopefully, she'll still be awake. I slipped into the dark woods and felt my way around. The only time the hot head would be useful and he's asleep. I can hardly see a thing. Once I got to the wild berry bushes, I was golden. I could follow the temperature drop to a serene oasis in the middle of the woods. I just hope I'm not waking Juvia up. Do mermaids even sleep? I don't know what she's like when she doesn't get enough sleep. What if I make her mad?

Only one way to find out. I got down to the edge of the water, "Juvia…? Are you here?"

Nothing. Not even a splash. Either she's a heavy sleeper or she's not here. Oh, well. Can't say I didn't try. The water didn't even sparkle. That sucks. I really wanted to see Juvia before we left. And it's not like I can leave a note. I didn't bring any paper. Chiseling away at ice is a pain. I'll be back soon, Juvia. Be careful. Then, I have a surprise for you.

"Gray?" The water bubbled and half of Juvia's head stuck out of the water, "What are you doing here? I'm not decent!"

"You're not…" I covered my eyes, "You're not naked…are you?"

"No," she grumbled, "But…"

"Then, you're ok," I promised, sticking my hand down in the water.

"What are you doing here?" Juvia wondered, "Isn't it a little late for you to be out?"

"It's alright," I settled her, taking her hand, "It's ok. I needed to come see you."

"Me?" she turned bright red, "Is everything ok?"

"Everything's fine," I promised, "But…I got a job. And I'll be out of town for a couple of days. I won't be able to come see you while I'm gone."

"Oh…" Juvia sunk a little deeper.

"But!" I had to turn the tides in my favor, "I do have some good news."

"What's that?"

"I talked to a friend of mine," I peeled my shirt off and joined her in the water, "And she can project her magic on anyone she wants."

"What kind of magic does your friend practice?" Juvia swam closer to me.

"She can shape shift," I told her, "And if everything works out well, you may be able to walk on land."

Juvia's face lit up enough to make the water sparkle again, "What?"

"It's still completely up to you," I assured, "But if you want to meet her and find out what it's like in my world, you're more than welcome."

"Gray!" Juvia threw her arms around my neck, "I'm so happy! I'll finally get to go on the surface!"

"I'm not sure if it's going to work," I hugged her back, "But it's worth a shot, right? We can try after I come back, ok?"

"Ok," she laid her head on my shoulder, "Thank you, Gray. I can't wait to walk the surface with you."

"Me either…" She smelled so sweet. I never thought I'd ever have her this close.

"I'll miss you," Juvia sighed out, "Promise me you won't be too reckless."

"I'll be ok," I promised, "I've been in rougher scraps at the guild hall. It's just a guy that lost a necklace. I'll get it and come right back. Besides, I'm not going to be traveling alone."

"Please," her embrace tightened, "Be careful, Gray."

"I will," I swore, "I'll be back in a couple days. No longer."

"Promise?"

"I promise," I jumped out of the water, "Really. Just a couple days."

"I'll be waiting…" Then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something blue twitching in the bushes, "Gray? Is everything ok?"

"As soon as I come back," I told her, "I'll be right here. Now, go back to sleep, Juvia. These woods are getting crowded."

"I'll miss you." Juvia sunk back down in her oasis and presumably went back to sleep. However, I had some other unfinished business to take care of.

I stuck my open hand down in the bush and pulled out a spy, "What did I tell you about following me here?"

"Let me go, Gray!" the little blue nuisance squirmed in my grasp.

"I told you _not _to follow me," I growled, "Why did you follow me?"

"I was curious!" Happy wiggled, "You just left. So, who was your lady friend?"

"She's none of your business!" I wanted to launch this cat into the woods, but instead, I threw him on my shoulder, "Whatever. Just don't say anything to anyone."

"Was she your girlfriend…?"

"No."

"Because you talked to her like she was…"

"Happy…" It's going to be a long walk back to Lucy's.

"Fine, fine!" Happy caved, "I won't say anything about your not girlfriend. I just have one question."

"What?"

"What did you mean about her seeing land?" Happy wondered.

"You don't need to worry about it," I shut him up, "It's nothing."

"Come on, Gray," he laid his head on top of mine, "I'm your friend. Your pal, Happy. You can tell me. You can tell me everything and anything and I won't tell a soul!"

"Just keep your mouth shut," I pushed Lucy's front door open, "Go back to sleep."

"But Gray…" Happy whined, "I want to know!"

"Happy," I threw myself into the couch, "This comes from a place of love, but shut up. For the love of all holy, shut up. And don't tell anyone about her."

"I won't tell anyone you have a weird girlfriend," he curled back up in front of the oven.

"She's not my girlfriend." I'm going to kill this cat. But if I even put a scratch on him, I'm sure I'd have Natsu to deal with and I didn't have that kind of energy. Instead, I shut my eyes.

"Good night, Gray…" Happy spoke softly, "She seems really nice."

She is really nice. I like her. And I couldn't wait to see her again. Because I promise you, Juvia. The next time we see each other, I'll be holding your hands. You'll see so much more outside your oasis. And I hope you're ready for it.

**A/N: Hi. I have a horrible headache and I may need a nap. But! Happy knows about Juvia. Not very much and Gray's keeping him at arm's length, but someone other than Mira knows about Juvia. And it's Happy! We all know Happy probably can't keep a secret to save his life. I mean, he could try. And the fact that Juvia's got a giant fish tail, Happy may be drooling. It wouldn't surprise me. But now, I think I'm going to finish my editing on a different project and lay in bed for a while. I just hope my headache doesn't evolve into a migraine. That's all I ask. See you next chapter! xx**


	5. Celestial Advisory

Why did Lucy have to live on the water? That sun reflecting right in the eyes after not getting much for sleep the night before? Not the greatest. I mean, it'd be great for when Juvia gets on land and needs to get in the water, but when Gray needs sleep? Not my favorite. When I got up from Lucy's couch, I noticed that I wasn't the only one awake. It's still pretty early. Which would explain the tired, lethargic shuffling of bare feet across the hardwood floor and the gentle, squeaky yawn.

"Good morning, Gray," Lucy mumbled tiredly, "Would it have killed you to start my coffee pot?"

"I just woke up, too," I jumped on the defensive, "I don't even know how to work your coffee pot."

"I'm just messing with you," she giggled, reaching into her coat closet for a can of coffee grounds.

"Wait," I wondered, "Why do you keep your coffee in the coat closet?"

"Because," Lucy sighed out, "My idiot boyfriend likes to eat it by the spoonful. So, if I don't hide it, Natsu gets into it."

Just when I think Natsu can't get any weirder, "He...Eats...the grounds?"

"Yep."

"He does know that's not how coffee works...right?"

"I've tried explaining it to him," Lucy put the can back, "But it never sticks."

Again. Just when I think he can't get any weirder, Natsu manages to surprise me, "Why are you with him, Lucy?"

"I ask myself the same thing sometimes," she got one of her mugs down, "Then, I look at that big, dumb face of his and I remember all the things I do love about him."

"Like the fact that he eats your coffee grounds straight up like some kind of sociopath?"

"Exactly." Lucy gave me a strange look. One that wasn't making me very comfortable.

"What?" I'm pretty sure I put a shirt on this morning.

"You left a giant wet spot on my couch," she noticed, her face suddenly scrunching up, "Gray...You know you're among friends here. And I just want you to be honest with me. Did you...Tell me that's not..."

"No," I shook my head, knowing what she was trying to get at, "No, no, no. I don't have that problem."

"It's like you just came in from swimming," Lucy took a seat on her kitchen counter.

"No," I had to think on my feet. I thought I was dry when I came back last night, "I just sweat a lot in my sleep. Sorry about that."

"It's no problem," she brushed it off, immediately putting her soft hand on my forehead, "Are you sure you feel ok, Gray? I'd hate for you to be getting sick just before we go out on a mission. And you have been looking a bit flush these days."

"I'm fine," I assured, "Don't worry about me, Lucy. I'm not getting sick."

"But he is sick," Happy woke up just enough to ask for a death wish, "He's lovesick..."

Happy, I hate you and I hope you enjoy the surface of the sun.

"What?" Lucy's ear perked up, "Oh, yeah. There was that weird thing Cana and Mirajane put together in the guild hall when Natsu and I were coming back. Sorry, Gray. Levy told me."

"Yeah," I rolled my eyes, "That mess."

"No," Happy rubbed his eyes, "Gray has a girlfriend."

"Shut up, Happy!" I snarled at him, ready to hold him under the water outside until the bubbles stop, "I thought you said you weren't going to tell anyone, big mouth!"

"Gray," Lucy awed, "That's so great. Why would you want to hide that?"

"Because it's no one else's business," I sat on the back of the couch, "But apparently, Happy wants to scream it from the rooftops!"

"I'm sorry!" Happy whined, "I figured Lucy would be ok."

"I think it's nice," Lucy smiled sweetly, "Good for you, Gray."

"Whatever," I shook it off, "Can someone go wake Natsu, so we can go?"

"Not it," Happy declared.

"Not it," I followed suit. I knew better. Natsu wasn't exactly what one would call a morning person. Before Lucy joined the guild, I had the burden of waking him up once. Never again. I ended up with second degree burns on my face. Fortunately, Gramps knew someone who could treat me without leaving any scars. He knew better than to do that with Lucy, though. The minute he heard her voice, Natsu turned to jelly.

"Fine..." That didn't mean Lucy liked doing it, "I'll go wake him."

"Good luck, Lucy!" Happy gave her a thumbs up.

"Thanks, cat," she grumbled, marching into the den of an actual sleeping dragon, "Natsu...You have to wake up. We need to get going."

"Ok." That was easier than I thought it'd be. I imagined that Natsu would've put up more of a fight. Maybe because it was...

"Natsu, what are you doing?!" Lucy squealed. That can't be good. I ran for Lucy's bedroom to find Natsu's arm around her waist. Looks like she just fell.

"I don't want to get up, Lucy," Natsu grumbled into her shoulder blade, still half asleep, "Why can't we just stay here?"

"Because I have rent due at the end of the month," she squirmed, trying to escape Natsu's tight embrace, "And we have a job to do. Now, let me go, get up, and let's go. Gray and Happy are waiting on us."

"They can go without us..."

"Natsu!" Lucy looked to me for help.

To which I'd happily oblige. I was already in a sucky mood. Who better to take it out on than Natsu? It's what we did. Like an unspoken rule. If either one of us needed to let off a little steam, the other would be cool with it. But when his girlfriend asked me nicely, that meant me conjuring up a couple ice cubes and freezing him out of bed. Why? Why not? Because I'm such a good friend.

"HEY!" Natsu leapt out of bed, "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

"You weren't listening," I spun an ice cube on my finger, "Lucy asked me a favor. And in case you've forgotten, we do have a job to do and I'm sure the guy's waiting for us. It's just a little ice, Natsu. You act like I put a whole snowman on you."

"YOU MIGHT AS WELL HAVE!"

"Get up," I walked out, "We got work to do."

"Fine!" Natsu surrendered before I dumped an avalanche on him.

Shortly after his tirade, Dummy, Deathwish, Lucy, and I headed out for Star Lake. In a perfect world, I would've checked in on Juvia before we left, but she understood. We'd be gone for a couple days, depending on how long it took us to dredge this lake, but she knew I'd be back. Hopefully, we won't run into any problems. Going by the flyer from the guild hall, it should be a simple recovery mission of what I'm assuming is some sort of magical artifact. If it was just a regular amulet, he wouldn't have asked a guild to handle it.

On the plus side, we couldn't have asked for a nicer day. The sun, albeit unpleasant when I woke up this morning, was shining. The weather was warm. I could almost see it in my head. Juvia's probably going to be up on one of the rocks around her oasis in the woods, feeling the same sun. At least I hope so. It's a good thing we got a job in the water today. However, I swear if I see Natsu lose his lunch over the side of our carriage, I may sympathy puke with him. I can't handle his motion sickness. But I could only imagine how awful it must be for him. We can chalk that up in the 'It sucks to be Natsu' column.

When we finally got there, Natsu stopped puking and I wanted nothing more than to jump in that lake. I'm sure the water's nice and warm. To think, I was kind of dreading this job (mostly because of the distance). But this? The crystal blue water, the white sand beach, the bright, shining sun? This wasn't bad. I hadn't been to Star Lake in a while. What better excuse than work?

"We should probably get to it then," I figured, peeling my shirt off.

"Any excuse for you to strip, huh, Gray?" Natsu jabbed, thinking that had an effect on me.

"Didn't know I needed an excuse," I shrugged.

"When you two are done," Lucy rolled her eyes, "We could probably use the extra help, right?"

"Do what you have to," I allowed, letting the wave crash over my bare feet. Oh, yeah. That water's nice.

"Open!" Lucy took one of her keys off her belt loop, "Gate of the giant crab, Cancer!"

Out of her bright, celestial light, a giant, bright red crab came out. I wasn't too big on Cancer. He seemed too flashy. I was more of the type for subtlety. Cancer put a neon sign up any time he jumped out of the gate, "Good morning, Miss Lucy. What are we doing with you today?"

"We're looking for an amulet," Lucy described, "It's kind of big. Blue. Wrapped in silver. The guy we're working for said you can't miss it."

"Sounds good, baby," Cancer shot her a wink, "I'll get right on it."

"Thank you," she sent him off, twiddling another gate key in her fingers, staring it down with great apprehension.

"Hey," Natsu worried, "You ok, Lucy? What's the matter?"

"It's nothing," Lucy shook it off, "It's just...Well...The more bodies we have on this job, the better, right?"

"We'd get it done quicker," I pointed out, "That's for sure."

"Because I do have another celestial spirit," she mulled it over, "A water sign. And I have no doubt she'd be able to help. It's just a matter of will she."

"I don't see why no..."

"Gray," Natsu stopped me, knowing exactly who Lucy was talking about, "Trust her. She knows."

"You have a contract with her, don't you?" I reminded her, "She has to listen to you."

"You're right," Lucy's confidence came back, a little grin on her face, "Alright! I suggest standing back, though. She can be kind of finicky."

"Let it out, Lucy."

"Open!" Lucy took her stance, "Gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!"

Uh-oh. Even I knew better than Aquarius. I've met her once or twice. Aquarius is one scary lady. But out she came from her celestial gate. Going by the look on her face, Lucy may not have a contract with her much longer, "Ugh...Do you not understand the concept of a day off?"

"Hello to you, too," Lucy grumbled.

"What do you want, Lucy?" Aquarius rolled her eyes, "I have other, better things to do today."

"There's an amulet in that lake," she ordered, "I need you to..."

"Stop speaking," Aquarius looked over Lucy's shoulder, "What's with pretty ice boy? Something seems different about him."

"Well," Lucy bit her lip, "That's something you'd have to ask him. Wait, you are talking about Gray, right?"

"So, you think he's cute, too?" I'm not sure what turned redder: my face, Lucy's face, or the seething anger in Natsu's eyes.

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!" Lucy shrieked, preemptively holding Natsu back. For whatever reason, he looked like he wanted to tear me to shreds. Not my fault if his girlfriend happens to think I'm cute. Or one of her celestial spirits, apparently, "If you want to know something about Gray, wouldn't it be a better idea for you to ask him directly?"

"Tell you what, Lucy," Aquarius bargained, "I'll help you on whatever little fetch quest that's so beneath me if I get to partner up with the ice cutie."

"Ok," I wasn't going to argue that. Besides, despite her being horrifying in the right light, I could stand to talk to Aquarius for a minute.

"Are you sure, Gray?" Lucy worried, "It's Aquarius."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Aquarius jumped on the defensive.

"Nothing," she cowered, "Nothing at all. Go ahead. Have fun."

"Come on, Frosty," Aquarius motioned for me, "We need to talk."

"We do?" I'm glad she said it. Seems less suspicious when she initiates, "Ok. Fine by me."

The rest of us jumped into the lake (protected by a breathing spell, courtesy of Aquarius) and got to work. Although, Aquarius took me off to a more secluded section of the lake, "Alright, Gray. What seems to be your problem? Why do you seem so different?"

"Well…" It's not like Aquarius is going to tell anyone. As far as I know, she kind of hates Lucy and chances are, she's not Natsu's biggest fan, "I actually did want to talk to you, Aquarius."

"You're lucky I have nothing else to do, pretty ice boy," she kicked her tailfin up on a rock, "What's on your mind?"

"I started seeing a mermaid," I vented, "And…"

"That's what's different," Aquarius figured, "You fell in love. Wait…Mermaid?"

"Yeah."

"Be careful," she warned me, "How many times have we crossed paths, Gray?"

"A couple," I assumed, "Why?"

"Because I like you," Aquarius admitted, "I really do. Out of Lucy's friends, you and the nerdy little bookworm are my favorites. Mermaids can be tricky creatures and their mood swings are a constantly moving pendulum. I wouldn't want to see you get hurt."

"Wow…" I wasn't sure how to take that, "Thanks, Aquarius…"

"Besides," she ran a finger down my jaw line, "I'd hate for something to happen to that pretty little face of yours."

"My mermaid is ok," I told her, still not believing it myself that I had a mermaid. Let alone was somewhat in a relationship with her. It's not like we've talked that over, but she seemed pretty concerned before I left, "She wouldn't hurt me. But I do have one question."

"Shoot."

"She's always wanted to be on land," I explained, "At least once. I have a way of doing that for her. How do I help her make that transition from water to land without putting her under too much stress?"

"If your girlfriend manages to be the one sane mermaid in existence," Aquarius began, "She'll need help walking. You've done that for a while now, haven't you?"

"Most of my life."

"Just help her walk," she suggested, "Take her by the hands and treat her like you would a baby. She won't know what to do. Just help her."

"And…" I blushed a bit, "If it's not too much trouble, if you could give me some date ideas, I'd really appreciate it."

"Aww," Aquarius gushed, "Aren't you the romantic. I should have Scorpio take notes from you. Well, if you're going to have her walking, I wouldn't take her swimming. If you're going to take her to dinner, I wouldn't take her for seafood. That'd just be cannibalism."

"Yikes," I winced, "She did get kind of defensive when I tried fishing around her."

"Other than that," she let out a little yawn, "I'm sure you can get creative. A romantic sap like yourself. If you have a celestial spirit by the name of Scorpio try to contact you, he's alright."

"I only know one celestial wizard," I pointed out, "And I don't think she has Scorpio's key."

"Hey, Lucy!" Aquarius yelled across the lake.

"WHAT?!" Lucy screeched back. Things with her and Natsu must not being going well.

"Don't drop my key again," Aquarius ordered, "Unless he asks!"

"What?" I wondered. But Aquarius had already gone back to the gate. She didn't even do anything. And I think Cancer timed out, too. Regardless, the four of us reconvened back on the beach, "You guys find anything?"

"Nothing," Lucy threw herself onto the sand, completely drained.

"We got squat," Natsu groaned, following suit, "This lake is huge! What's so special about this amulet anyway, Lucy?"

"I don't know," she scooted closer to him, laying her heavy head on his chest, "We just need to find it."

"I thought this was going to be an easy job, Lucy," Happy whined, making himself comfortable on her stomach, "That's the last time we let you pick from the request board."

"I did, too," Lucy shut her eyes for a minute, "It's getting late. Should we set up camp?"

"That sounds like a good idea," I agreed.

"I think I have a sunburn," Natsu moaned.

"You can't get sunburned," Lucy called him out, "You have dragon scales. You're fine."

After setting up camp for the night and getting something in our stomachs, we called it a night. Even though I could hardly keep my eyes open, I couldn't sleep. All I could do was stare up at the moon. That big, beautiful, full moon. It's nights like these that remind me of when I first saw Juvia. I'm sure she's not crazy like Aquarius says. She says stuff like that to Lucy all the time. But she did say she liked me. Maybe she's jealous and wants me all to herself. I don't think that would work, though. It's weird enough I have a mermaid in love with me. I don't think I could handle a celestial spirit, too. Either way, I shut my eyes, forcing myself to fall asleep.

Good night, Juvia.

**A/N: Gray and Aquarius? Could that be a ship? A really weird one, if you ask me. Maybe a crack ship. I could see it as a crack ship. One of those one thing led to another things and it was a weird night. But here nor there. We'll find more out about the amulet next week and its lore surrounding it. But for now, I'm going to do my editing and go back to working on a little artsy project I've been tinkering with. Feel free to leave your questions, comments, concerns, etc. and I'll see you next chapter! xx**


	6. The Power of the Amulet

When was this going to end? We all woke up bright and early to look for this stupid amulet and where has that gotten us? Nowhere. We had nothing. Nothing but aching muscles and serious sunburns. The only one of all of us that couldn't get sunburned was the one whining about it the most. I might hold Natsu under the water until the bubbles stop. If only Cancer didn't cast that breathing charm on all of us. This job better be worth the money.

"We've been out here for hours," Natsu whined, throwing himself into the sand, "When are we going to find this thing?"

"I don't know, Natsu," Lucy laid next to him, his head moving to her bronzing thigh.

"I'm starting to wonder if there is an amulet," I groaned, "Maybe that's how this guy gets his kicks. By sending wizards on wild goose chases and dangling a reward in front of them."

"Whoever he is," Happy murmured, "His lake has some funning tasting fish. I can't even bite into them."

"I'm so glad you're focused on the important things, Happy," Lucy glared. Then, her glare only got scarier, "Happy..."

"What, Lucy?"

"What are you chewing on?"

"This weird fish I caught," Happy spat out a chunk of metal with a blue stone attached to it, "It's not very yummy."

"YOU IDIOT!" Lucy shrieked at the top of her lungs, "THAT'S THE AMULET! YOU'VE BEEN EATING IT THIS WHOLE TIME?!"

"How was I supposed to know it was the amulet?" Happy burst into tears, "Natsu! Lucy's being mean and scary!"

"It's alright, buddy," Natsu scooped up the little heathen, "You didn't even know what the amulet looked like. We'll chalk it up to Lucy's poor planning."

"No, no, no," Lucy jolted up, "We are not pinning this on me! Gray, could you back me up here?"

"This is between you and Natsu," I backed out of it, too exhausted to care, "How you discipline the children is your business. What matters is that we found the amulet. Can we just take the win and bring it to whoever, so we can go home? I got better things to do than sit around and listen to you two fight like an old married couple."

"Well..." she turned bright red. Natsu, too. Mission accomplished, "I guess you're right. It doesn't matter how we got it or that Happy tried eating it. Come on. He lives right up the road."

"Wow, Luce," Natsu got up, "You got over that quickly."

"Who ever said I was over it?" Lucy fumed, "I think you forgot that we live together. And I can hold a grudge."

That's one of those things I adored about Lucy. She always kept Natsu on his toes. About everything. Much to Natsu's dismay. She'll unleash something on him later. And hopefully, I won't be around for that fallout. Nevertheless, the four of us headed for this guy's house with some sapphire amulet that, to me, just looked like some old necklace. I don't see why he made such a fuss over it. Maybe he's sentimental. Maybe he's nuts. How was I supposed to know?

This guy didn't live in a mansion, but he wasn't exactly living in a shack either. In its own way, it kind of reminded me of Lucy's house. Big enough for maybe two or three people to live in. And the guy didn't look to be much either. If I remember, this job paid forty thousand jewel each. If he could afford to drop that kind of cash on a few wizards searching a lake for an amulet the size of the one we got, what was he doing living in a small house? Probably a cheapskate.

"Thank you," he bowed to us, "That amulet has been in my family for many generations."

Looks like I nailed it on the sentimentality. Lucy smiled sweetly as she did, "You're very welcome. It's a beautiful amulet."

"It was given to my great grandfather by a siren," the man spun the tale, "She said that any man under the spell of a siren is marked for death. The only way to break her spell is this stone. It goes under her tongue and her song will no longer sound as sweet."

"It's too bad we don't know any sirens," Natsu chimed in, "It'd be cool to see it work."

Lucy gave Natsu's ribs her elbow while maintaining her professionalism as she collected our reward. Color me impressed. I still don't understand why she's with someone like Natsu, but to each their own, "Thank you, sir. It's been a pleasure working for you."

We divided our earnings equally and I'd be set for the next week or so. It's time to go home. My aches and pains needed to subside and I had a mermaid to get back to. Wait a second...I'm going to get Juvia out of her oasis when we get back. I get to take her on walks and hold her hands…I get to take her around Magnolia and show her everything she's ever wanted to see. I didn't even care about the fact that Natsu's stomach could erupt at any given moment on the carriage ride home. That was enough to get me through. And in a short hour, we'd be back in front of the guild hall.

Home sweet home. The Fairy Tail guild hall. Where we could all kick our feet up after a job well done or beat the snot out of each other. There really is no in between. Good times. None of us would have it any other way. It's what made the guild notorious. And to make it even better, the woman that greeted us at the door owed me a favor.

"Welcome back, you guys," Mirajane smiled, "How'd the job go?"

"We did it," Lucy beamed, still waiting for the moment to tear Natsu's throat out, "Everything's golden. The guy got his amulet back. Gray's sunburned. All in all, it's been a good trip."

"I'm sorry to hear that," she winced at the sight of my bright red skin and some of the blisters.

"I'll be fine," I brushed them off, remembering what we were here for, "Hey, Mira, are you busy?"

"No," Mira shook her head, "Things are pretty quiet in here. Why?"

"Are you ready?" I shot her a subliminal message to keep quiet.

"Yeah," she chimed, "Give me a second to lock things up. Hey, Erza!"

"Yes, Mira?" Erza called from the upper floor.

"Can you watch over the guild hall for me?" Mira asked so sweetly, "I need to step out for a minute."

"I can do that," she accepted, "Take as long as you need to."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I worried, the two of us heading out.

"Of course it is," Mira nodded, "Everyone respects Erza enough not to cause trouble. And if need be, they all fear her a little, too, so we can call that an extra reason for no one to act up."

"You have a point," I agreed, a little weary of her methods. Whatever works, I guess. When we got to the woods and near Juvia's oasis, I stopped her, "Hold on."

"What is it, Gray?" she wondered, "Is everything ok?"

"Everything's fine," I assured, "It's just that…Juvia's kind of shy, so if you could give us a minute before you come in, that'd be great."

"I'll stay right here," Mira promised, "Go ahead."

"Thank you," I left Mira behind one of the trees and climbed onto our rock, "Juvia…? Are you here? I'm back."

"Gray…?" a soft, delicate voice called out. But then, a giant wave came out of the oasis, "GRAY!"

"Hi." I could hardly get that out before Juvia pulled me into the water, her arms snaking around me.

"I missed you so much!" Juvia squealed, "Are you ok? YOU'RE HURT!"

"No," I settled her, "I'm just sunburned. It's no big deal."

"We can't have that," she pulled me underwater, holding me tight against her. It's a good thing that charm was still on me or I'd drown. Fortunately, my skin stopped feeling so tight and her touch didn't hurt me. Juvia brought me back to the surface, "There. Do you feel better?"

"Much," I nodded, "Thank you. I have a surprise for you."

"I thought I told you I didn't need presents," Juvia scolded me, "What did you bring me?"

Here goes nothing, "Hey, Mira! You can come out!"

"Hello, Juvia," Mira joined me on the rock, "My name is…"

"Gray…" Juvia growled, her eyes turning red, "You brought another woman? WHY WOULD YOU BRING ANOTHER WOMAN TO ME?!"

"She's ok," I tried to calm her down, "She's my friend I told you about. She's going to help you get on land."

"I've heard all about you, Juvia," Mira offered her hand to her, "I really hope this works."

"Do you…" Juvia played shy, "Could you really make it so I could walk?"

"I can try," Mira gave her a smile, "Are we going to do this now?"

"That's up to her," I took Juvia's hand, "Are you ready for this?"

"Yes…" Juvia nodded, "I want to walk with you, Gray. I want to see the world the same way you do and I can't do that from my oasis. Please. I want to walk as soon as I can."

"Alright." I know I said this was entirely her choice at the end of the day, but I couldn't help but worry. What if something went wrong? What if Mira's magic didn't work? I don't think I could live with that kind of guild knowing I disappointed her.

"Here we go," Mira began, a bright light emanating from her hands toward Juvia's tail. This was it. Either it works or it doesn't. Then, out of nowhere, a burst of energy separated the two of us. I was on the other side of the oasis while the top half of Juvia's body fell limp over the rocks.

"Mira, what did you do?" I swam over to her as quick as I could.

"Exactly what you asked me to," Mira picked herself back up, "I did all I could, Gray."

"Juvia…" I cradled her against my chest, her eyes hidden by heavy lids, "Juvia…Are you ok?"

"Gray…" she spoke weakly, tired, "I feel so strange…"

"Tell me," I demanded, "What is it?"

"Well…" Juvia buried her face in my chest, hiding…a smile, "Look…"

Then, what happened next made my jaw drop to the oasis floor. Juvia tried to flip her tail onto the rocks, but she couldn't. Because there was no tail there. Instead, a pair of long, slender legs glistened in the moonlight. She did it…I couldn't believe it, but she actually did it, "Mira, I'm sorry that I ever doubted you."

"That took more out of me than I thought it would," Mira leaned against one of the rocks, "Juvia, how are you feeling?"

"Like I can't swim as well," she admitted, "Gray, how do you do it?"

"I don't know," I hugged her tight, "I just do it. Baby steps, ok?"

She's getting out of the oasis…I'm getting her out of the oasis.

**A/N: Yes, you are, Gray. Yes, you are. Now, can I level with you guys for a hot second? I'm sorry that this is up so late. A lot of life got in the way today and I could only get to my computer an hour or so ago (at the time I'm writing this part.). Please forgive me. I even canceled a different post I had to do on FictionPress today. But now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go take my puppo outside, take a shower, and go to bed. And because I know you're reading this, Alex, I love you. Have a good day at school if I don't go with you and I'm sorry you didn't get to be the first person to read this week's update. And to the rest of you, I'll see you next chapter. xx**


	7. One Foot in Front of the Other

If we're being honest, I thought Mira's magic would fail. But...Here they are. Juvia started to sink like a stone, but her legs are new yet. She's still getting used to them. I wrapped my arms around her waist, doing my best to keep her afloat. Is Juvia going to have to relearn how to swim? I'm sure I'll be able to teach her if it comes to that. For now, she seemed to be in high spirits, so I couldn't complain. Only one thing left to do.

"Juvia," I had a firm grip on her hands, "Are you ready?"

"I think so," Juvia's voice softened as she stared down at her newly acquired feet, "How do I do it?"

"First," I pulled her out of the water and sat her on the edge of her oasis, "How is that? Are you doing ok?"

"Yeah," she nodded, shivering a little, "Is it always this cold on land, Gray?"

"Not always," I took my shirt off and gave it to her, "I probably should've been more prepared for this."

"Do you want me to run to the guild hall and get her something, Gray?" Mira offered.

"That's alright," I brushed her off, "But thank you."

Juvia drowned in my shirt. In a way, it was kind of cute to see the material hang off her small frame. She seemed perplexed by it. Juvia pulled her arms out of the long sleeves and wriggled her body through the neck hole. Then, she tied the sleeves around her waist in a big bow. Huh...Really doing the best with what she got, isn't she?

"It looks like she's got it under control," Mira approved, "I have to hand it to you, Juvia. You have quite an eye for fashion."

''More than my upper body was cold," she pointed out, resting her head on my shoulder, "Thank you for your shirt, Gray, but won't you get cold, too?"

"Have you just met me?" I chuckled, conjuring another ice duck for Juvia's oasis to float on the water, "Cold doesn't bother me. I'll be ok."

"Do..." Juvia's voice shook, "Do you promise?"

"I promise," I hugged her a bit tighter, "Are you sure you're ready to try walking, Juvia? You seem like you're ready to fall asleep."

"No," she shook her head furiously. There's no way that didn't kill her neck, "I'm ready. I want to do this, Gray. For you."

"Don't do this for me," I smiled, pushing some of her wet hair out of her face, "Do it for you. Do it for all the times you wanted to crawl out of this oasis and see what the surface was like."

"You're more experienced than I am," Juvia caught a second wind, "How do I walk?"

"Now that we have you on land," I helped her stand, but one of her knees buckled under her.

"Gray!"

"I got you," I caught her by her arms, "I got you. We're ok. Just put one foot in front of the other. Take it nice and slow. We'll focus on running some other time."

"Alright." Determination burned in her eyes. Juvia was more than ready to get out of this oasis, "Just...don't let me go."

"I won't," I promised, keeping my hold on her hands, "You can do this, Juvia. Make me proud."

Slowly, but surely, Juvia moved her left hip forward, not making the connection that her leg had to move, too. Her knee buckled again as she lost her balance, pulling us both to the ground, "Gray! I thought you said you weren't going to let go!"

"I didn't," I winced, pulling the rock out of my leg, "I fell, too. Are you alright?"

"I think so," she shook it off, "Can we try again?"

"As many times as it's going to take," I hid a smile from her, "You just need to be more careful, ok? Remember. Your leg has to move, too. It's not all in your hips anymore. Try it again."

"Ok," I helped her back onto her feet. She seemed to have that balance down. Juvia could stand like a champ. It's the walking thing she's got a problem with. But then, she shuffled one foot forward, regaining balance quickly. She looked up to me for confirmation.

"Keep going," I insisted, "You're doing good."

"I'm..." Juvia took another step. A more fully formed step. And another one. Then, another one, "I'm doing it, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are." I'm so proud.

"Gray, I'm walking on land!" she kept moving. Still a bit shaky, but she's got it for the most part.

"How's it feel?" I asked, letting one hand go.

"It's so strange," Juvia admitted, "I don't have the water resistance against me anymore."

"You'll get used to it," I assured, "Just don't use so much force when you take a step forward."

"It's exhausting," she leaned against me, using me to hold her up.

"We can stop if you want," I sat her down.

"Actually, Gray," Juvia stared back at her legs, her hands on her knees, "I don't want to stop. I want to see more. The furthest I've ever been outside my oasis has been a lake a few hundred miles away and I can only get there from the tunnels. I want to see more of the world than that. Could you show me the town you come to me from?"

"You..." I bit the inside of my cheek, "You want to see Magnolia?"

"Is it far from here?"

"Not really," I figured, "But are you sure? I mean, you said it yourself. Walking is exhausting."

"I can do it." Juvia never was one to shy away from biting off more than she can chew, was she? "I promise. I can do it."

"Mira," I asked, "How long is her transformation going to last?"

"As soon as she touches back into her oasis," Mira thought, "Until then, she's on land. She's got her legs."

"Please, Gray," Juvia begged, "I hear noises coming from Magnolia all the time. I want to see what's making them."

"Ok," I wasn't going to say no to her, "But if you start to get tired, I want you to tell me as soon as possible, ok?"

"I will," she promised, her eyes full of sparkle.

"I guess we're going back to Magnolia," I helped her back up, "Thank you, Mira."

"You're welcome," Mira smiled, "I did owe you one. Consider us even."

"What did she owe you for?" Juvia's radar went up.

"I don't want to get into it," I groaned, still trying to forget it ever happened.

"It's alright, Gray," she wrapped herself around my arm, "You can tell me."

"Well..." Juvia looked up at me with those big, beautiful blue eyes of hers. She knew how to get her way with me, "Mira and another member of our guild tried setting me up and the way they went about it wasn't exactly ideal. After I told them both not to."

"Why would you do that?" Juvia turned hostile, glaring daggers into Mira, "And after he said no?"

"We were worried about him," Mira somewhat cowered a bit.

"Easy, Juvia," I stopped her before this could escalate, "If they wouldn't have done what they did, I never would've gotten mad at them. And if I never would've gotten mad, I never would've come out in the woods to blow off steam. In a way, they helped me meet you. It's alright. It's over."

Juvia's grip on my hand tightened, only to ease in the same breath, "Alright..."

"Come on," I did my best to bring a smile back to her face, "I'm kind of hungry. And you wanted to see Magnolia, right?"

"Yeah." There it was. There's what I was looking for. I guess the prospects of this being a date were enough for her.

And so, the three of us started walking back towards town. Juvia's legs kept getting stronger and stronger as her steps got more and more stable. For being a first timer at this, I have to admit she's doing amazing. I've seen mothers in the square with their babies, trying to teach them how to walk. They'd all fall after the first step or two. Juvia's never had legs before and she's already ahead. What can I say? She may have had a good teacher. Not to brag or anything.

"Here we are." We came up to a big building with a familiar mark on its banners, "Welcome to the Fairy Tail guild hall."

"This is your guild hall?" Juvia stared up in sheer amazement. I never saw it that way. I mean, it's been built and rebuilt so many times that only thing original about it anymore is the foundation. And even that was hanging on by a thread.

"This is our guild hall," Mira confirmed.

"It's incredible," she gasped, "The palace wasn't even this grand."

"Palace?" I wondered.

"It's nothing," Juvia brushed it off, "I bet the inside of your guild hall is just as amazing as the outside."

"I don't know," I shrugged, "It's kind of just your standard guild hall."

"Could we go inside?"

My stomach did a flip of some sort. The thought of bringing Juvia into a place like the Fairy Tail guild hall seemed disastrous. For a girl that just got legs for the first time not even an hour ago to go into a guild hall that's notorious for inner sparring at any given time? That didn't seem like a good idea, "Maybe some other time. No one is ready for that kind of upset yet. The last time we brought someone new in, she shook the guild for a couple days. Besides, there's so much more in Magnolia than just the guild hall. Let's go get dinner."

"Alright," Juvia wasn't going to turn me down. She adored me too much, "But…"

"What is it?" I worried as her face fell.

"I…" she blushed, "I might need more than just your shirt."

"Yeah," I agreed, "Most restaurants in Magnolia won't let you in with no pants."

"I'm sure Lucy would let her borrow something," Mira suggested, "She and Natsu should be home."

"No," I shook my head. I'm sure Lucy would be more than happy to help her out, but subjecting Juvia to Natsu right now? Not in the cards. I have no doubt that he'd put her under a microscope and she didn't deserve that, "But thanks, Mira. We got it. I'm sure there's something open in town."

"There is!" she directed us, "Up a couple blocks, over one."

"Thank you." I followed Mira's directions to the letter and pulled some money out of my pocket, "Go ahead, Juvia. Anything you want. I'll be waiting outside."

"You're leaving me?" Juvia worried, her eyes swelling with tears, "Why?"

"I'm not leaving," I promised, "I told you. I'll be right outside. Shopping isn't exactly my favorite thing in the world, so I'm letting you go by yourself instead of me ruining the experience for you."

"Oh…" she sighed, "Fine. I promise I won't take long."

"Take your time," I allowed, "It's alright."

Juvia disappeared into the store behind me and I took a seat on the front steps. While she's in there, I gave thoughts to where I could take her next. My stomach was practically eating itself. Aquarius suggested that I don't take her anywhere that serves seafood out of respect. That ruled out half the restaurants in town. Well…There was one that was really nice just around the corner. I knew that place didn't offer seafood. Loke had talked about it once or twice and how it was his usual place to bring girls after a good paying job. That sounded like a plan.

"Gray…" Juvia came out of the shop in a tightly fitting blue dress and little white shoes…And…She's…

She's so…cute.

"Yeah?" I snapped out of my daze, "What is it?"

"Do…" her cheeks turned bright red, "Do I look ok?"

What do I say? This could be a double-edged sword. If I tell her she's cute, she'll burst into a volcanic nosebleed. If I tell her she looks awful, it'd be a knife in her heart. Middle ground? Middle ground seems safe, "You look fine. Good enough for where we're going."

"And where are we going?" Juvia asked, taking my arm back.

"I'm a guy of simple pleasures," I admitted, "And right now, I want food. Good for you?"

"Anywhere is good for me," she beamed. Awesome. I'm starving. And now, I get to say I've taken a mermaid to dinner. It's great. No one looked at her any differently. No one was the wiser. Mira did a good job. There weren't even any marks on her showing where her tail started or where her fins were. She looked so human…

When we got to the restaurant, we got a table tucked away in the back behind a paper screen. Perfect. The privacy wasn't exactly necessary, but we could chalk that up as an added bonus. On the off chance we ran into someone we didn't need to run into, no one would know we're even here. I didn't have Loke's planner memorized, so whether or not he had a date tonight was up in the air.

Regardless, this was nice. The restaurant was calm with the murmuring of different conversations coming together. The dark atmosphere put Juvia at ease. Everything was good. Maybe this wasn't going to turn out to be a mess. A night off from the craziness at the guild hall could be nice. And that usually happened when I was with her.

"Why'd we have to come here?" a voice whined from a couple tables over, "It's too stuffy and pretentious in here."

"Can't you at least try to enjoy it?" another begged, "I don't ask much of you. And just because I hated doing stuff like this when I was younger doesn't mean I don't miss it. Everything's fine. And we left Happy with the sitter. I'm sure he'll live. We had a good payout with the Star Lake job. Forgive me for not wanting something from a takeout box."

"Plue does not count as a sitter!"

Uh-oh…I spoke too soon. Immediately, I hid behind our menus. If I can't see them, they can't see me. But Juvia could see me just fine, "Gray? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I put her behind a menu, too, "It's nothing. We just…need to keep our heads down."

"Are you sure?" she worried.

"We'll be alright." I know they were bound to find out sooner or later. I just wish we could've gotten the later rather than the sooner.

"Shut up…" a head popped up over the screen, "Gray?"

"Hey, Lucy…" I might as well own up to it. It's not like I can hide anymore.

"Gray?" And there's the other popping up, "What would Gray be…"

I let out a heavy sigh of exasperation, hoping to all things holy and unholy they wouldn't draw attention to the elephant in the room, "Am I not allowed to eat anymore? Did I miss that memo?"

"Excuse me?" Natsu hopped the partition, his eyes falling on Juvia, "A girl? Gray! When did this happen?"

"Natsu!" Lucy snapped, "No!"

Kill me. Someone kill me. Put me out of my misery.

**A/N: Poor Gray. He couldn't hide Juvia for long. Not when she's walking around Magnolia. I'm so proud of her. She's got mastery of her legs. Gray's somewhat salivating over her. And now, Natsu knows that Gray has a special lady in his life. God only knows what that fallout's going to be like. There's no way it can be pretty. See you next chapter! xx**


	8. Date Night Disaster

Ever feel like eating the last of Erza's cake stash in front of her? And maintain complete eye contact with her? I'd rather deal with the aftermath of that than what was actually happening. With the cake, at least I'd have the sweet satisfaction of the cake (likely mixed with the taste of blood, if I got lucky and Erza let me off with a warning). This was just painful. And because Natsu is Natsu, there was no way he would leave us alone.

"So, Gray..." Natsu slid in the seat next to me, "Who's the girl?"

I could see it all over the girl's face. Juvia was just as mortified with this debacle as I was. She's skittish around new people. She was a trooper when I brought her Mira, but I also warned her beforehand, "She's none of your business."

"Gray," Lucy scolded me, "Play nice. He's just asking a question. He could've been a little more delicate about it, but that ship sailed long ago."

"Fine," I was hoping to get rid of him quicker, but I guess that's not happening, "This is Juvia. Juvia, this is Natsu and Lucy."

"Are they friends of yours, Gray?" Juvia spoke softly, wanting an out as bad as I did.

"She is," I nodded toward Lucy, only to glare at her boyfriend, "I guess him, too. In small doses."

"SMALL DOSES?!"

"Natsu!" Lucy snapped.

Natsu bowed out instantly. She really did deserve better, but the heart wants what the heart wants. Natsu sat and pouted a little, "Sorry."

"You must have been who Gray went to see before we left on our last job," Lucy attempted to make friends with Juvia, but Juvia still looked like her skin was going to peel off.

"She's the one," I confirmed, moving this mess right along. Come on, Lucy. Take the hint. I'm happy to see you, but right now is not a good time.

"In that case," Lucy got up from our table, "We should probably leave you guys alone."

Thank you. I'm glad that mental telepathy was received.

"Hey!" It's too bad Natsu couldn't get the message, "I got an idea!"

"Someone call the paper," I grumbled under my breath, "Sorcerer Weekly's next headline. Natsu Dragneel actually has an idea."

"Why don't you and Juvia come sit with us?" No one said it'd be a good idea.

"Um...Natsu...?" Uh-oh. I smell trouble in paradise. And it smells like something burning.

"What?" Natsu beamed that big, goofy grin of his, "Tell me that's not a great idea."

"It's not," Lucy put her foot down, "Maybe Gray and Juvia want some time to themselves."

"Or we could..."

"Or maybe..." Lucy glared, "Someone forgot we were on a date."

"Come on, Lucy," Natsu whined, "Everything's better when the team's together."

"But..." Lucy's doing her best to save face, but if there weren't people around, Natsu would be torn in pieces and around the world, "Time apart can also make us stronger."

"This is your team, Gray?" Juvia wondered, staring on with curious eyes.

"For the most part," I nodded, "Yeah. Minus Erza."

"Erza's been MIA a lot lately," Natsu pointed out, "I wonder where she went. More importantly, when she'll be back."

"She's up in the mountains," Lucy filled us in, "She'll be back by the end of the week."

"When did you become Erza's secretary?"

"I didn't. We just talk once in a while."

"I hope she's doing ok," I worried about her. I know Erza can manage herself, but still. Those mountains can be harsh and unpredictable.

"It's Erza," Natsu scoffed, "I'm sure she's fine. She's tough as nails."

"Can we be left alone now?" I demanded, taking Juvia's hand under the table. She's calmed down a bit, but Natsu can still leave any time now.

"Come on, Gray!" he threw an arm around my shoulders, "Join us. It'll be great!"

Natsu, you oblivious idiot. I pried his arm off me, "No, thanks. We'll pass."

"What?" Natsu growled, "Are you trying to say you're too good to be seen with us, Frosty?"

"No," I kept a level head. One of us had to, "I'm not here with you, Matchstick. I'm here with her."

"I'm sorry about Natsu," Lucy leaned over to Juvia, "He can be a bit of a handful."

"That's downplaying it," I agreed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Natsu jumped on the defensive.

"You are the epitome of a handful, you moron," I rolled my eyes, "You put Lucy through too much grief."

"No, I don't!"

"Yes, you do!"

"You want to take this outside, ice cube?!"

"Do you, burnout?!"

"I just wanted a nice dinner," Lucy sighed out, "I don't ask for much."

In a shocking turn of events, Juvia got up from the table, her stance a little wobbly. She's not quite used to her legs yet, "Do you want me to fight him, Gray?"

"What?" we both sat back down while the angry fire in Juvia's eyes only got bigger.

"No," I settled her before Natsu got pummeled into the ground, "Juvia, it's ok. You don't have to fight him."

"And I thought my girlfriend had issues," Natsu winced.

"HEY!" He might end up pummeled into the ground after all. Only not by Juvia's hand.

"It's just kind of our thing," I explained, "We're like oil and water."

"Fire and ice," Natsu added, nursing the swelling lump on his head, "It's how we work."

"They're always like this," Lucy jumped in, "And they have been ever since I've known them. I doubt it'll ever change, but it's just the way they are. If you stick around, Juvia, this is what you're signing up for."

"So," Juvia came down, still a bit buzzed from the adrenaline rush, "You're still friends?"

"Yeah," I promised, "Natsu may be an idiot, but I'll go to bat for him any day of the week."

"Aww, Gray," Natsu melted, "I didn't know you were so sweet for me."

"Don't read into it."

"No," he hugged me, "You do love me."

"Lucy..."

"Come on," Lucy grabbed him by the ear, "I'm starving and we need to leave them alone."

"Thank you," I smiled, "I appreciate it."

"No problem." She's so sweet. He really doesn't deserve her.

"Besides," I took Juvia's hand, helping her out of the booth, "We should be going anyway."

"See you tomorrow morning?" Lucy assumed.

"More than likely," I nodded, "See you later."

"Bye!"

Juvia and I slipped out of the restaurant before we had the chance to get kicked out. All because Natsu doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut. But here nor there. We went back to the peace and quiet we had before our little bump in the road showed up. At least the breeze off the water was nice and Juvia's limp grew more subtle. It's almost as if she's had legs her whole life.

"Gray," she asked, "Since it is getting to be the end of our night, does this mean I have to go back to my oasis?"

"I don't know," I sighed out, "I've been thinking about that most of the night. How are you feeling? Are you getting tired?"

"A little," Juvia found a bench, "My feet hurt."

But then, something dawned on me. I wasn't sure exactly how ready either one of us was for this, but it's worth a shot, "Well…You don't have to go back to the oasis quite yet, do you?"

"What do you mean?" she gave me a look.

"You know how you told me that you wanted to see my guild hall?" I began.

"Yes…"

"Well," I suggested, "Why don't you and I go back to the guild hall and go to sleep?"

"Gray," Juvia turned bright red, "You…Want me to stay with you?"

"Only if you're ok with it," I scrambled, "I mean, if you don't want to, then that's fine, too. I can take you back to the oasis and we can forget that this ever happened."

"No!" she freaked, "I don't want to ever forget tonight! Just being with you tonight has been so wonderful. And I got to walk on the surface with you! Not just swim around in my oasis! Please don't leave me…"

"I won't," I tried calming her down, "Do you want to stay with me at the guild hall? Just us?"

"I…" Juvia moved a little closer, practically in my lap, "Is that ok?"

"I'm sure it'll be fine," I assured, "And if it's not, then I can take whatever punishment Master Makarov wants to throw at me. It'll be completely worth it."

"Well…" She was still pretty apprehensive, but then…She smiled, "I guess if it's ok. Can I see the guild hall now?"

"Absolutely," I helped her onto her feet and the two of us started heading home. I couldn't believe this was happening. Meeting a mermaid was practically unheard of. Meeting a mermaid and walking among humanity without anyone knowing she's a mermaid? That's like seeing a unicorn. I'm proud of how far Juvia's come from her oasis and she's managed so wonderfully. I had her. And she had me. And that's all that mattered.

When we got into the guild hall, the main room looked like a ghost town. Looks like we hit it at just the right time. No one's here to ask questions. Even Mira's gone to bed for the night. Good. We snuck upstairs as quietly as humanly possible and slipped into my room. Coast is clear. I threw my shirt on the chair and jumped into bed. Although, it looked like someone else wasn't too sure how to feel about it.

"Really, Juvia," I promised, making room on the other side of the bed, "It's alright. You can come lay with me. It's fine."

"Thank you," Juvia got in bed, "But…"

"What's the matter?" I worried, "Is everything ok?"

"What if I lose my legs in the middle of the night?" she curled into my arms, "What if when I wake up, my tail is back and I won't be able to walk?"

"Remember what Mira said?" I comforted her, "She said that until you touch water from your oasis again, you'll have your legs. I swear to you, Juvia. Everything will be ok. If you wake up tomorrow morning and you're a full-on mermaid again, Mirajane is just downstairs. She'll be able to get them back. We're ok. We're safe."

"What if…"

"Juvia," I hugged her tight, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Mira's magic isn't going to wear off. No one's going to know you were here. Now, let's go to sleep, ok? A lot's happened today and you must be exhausted. Just wait until what tomorrow's going to have for us. I might have to take another job, but we could do it together."

"Really?" There it was…There's that smile. It's so sweet and so beautiful. I wanted to keep it forever, "We could work a job together?"

"Definitely," I ran my hand down her back.

"But," Juvia wondered, "What about your team?"

"We work solo jobs all the time. If we need back up, then we'll give them a ring. But I don't think we'll need Natsu, Lucy, or Erza to come bail us out. Whatever we take on, we'll be able to handle it."

"Alright," she nestled her head in my shoulder and shut her eyes, "Hey, Gray?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you," Juvia let out a little yawn, "For today. And for tomorrow. And for all the days after."

"You're welcome," my embrace tightened around her. And the two of us drifted off into a calm, quiet sleep.

**A/N: Aww…They're so cute. Maybe their date wasn't as big of a disaster as what it could've been. But Juvia was totally ready to throw hands for Gray's sake. Girlfriend needs to settle down. By the looks of things, she is settled down. She's got a spot in Gray's bed. And in the guild hall, no less! Good for you, Juvia. By the sounds of things, those crazy kids had a nice night. I wonder what Juvia thought about her first trip to the surface. We'll find out soon enough. See you next chapter! xx**


	9. Loke Saves the Day

She's so pretty when she's asleep. Juvia's long, blue hair covered half her face, but her round little cheek peeked out from behind it. I don't know what it was, but she looked so peaceful. Was she like this when she slept in her oasis, too? Maybe I could talk to Aquarius and see if she could set me up with the ability to breathe underwater. I'd love to be able to answer that question myself. Suddenly, Juvia moved underneath me, those big, blue eyes of hers opening up to blink at me a few times.

"Hi," I smiled softly, making sure to keep my voice down. The last thing I wanted to do was scare her right after she woke up.

"Hi," Juvia's gentle, lyrical voice reverbed in my soul. She lifted up our quilt and looked underneath, "Look, Gray…They're still there. My legs are still there."

"That's good to hear," I pulled her against my chest, running my hand down her back, "Did you sleep ok?"

Juvia nodded, "You?"

"Yeah," I didn't want to get out of bed. This moment was too…perfect. Everything was good. The guild hall wasn't in the process of being destroyed or rebuilt. No one was after us. And, to top it all off, I had my girl half asleep in my arms. What more could I want? But then, the harsh reality set in, "Hey, Juvia?"

"Yes, Gray?" she looked up at me, those tired eyes so full of light.

"Not that I want to kick you out or anything," I prefaced, "But I'm going to have to sneak you out of the guild hall and I don't have a fire escape out my window. I'm open to suggestions."

"I'm not sure," Juvia thought, "You're a wizard, Gray. Don't you know some spell that can get us out of here?"

"I'm a maker wizard, not a teleporter," I put her down gently on the bed, "Stay here, ok? I'm going to go see how busy things are downstairs. I might be able to just walk you out the front door."

"Ok," she wrapped herself up in the blankets and nestled down in the bed. Meanwhile, I'd have to see if anyone was downstairs yet.

Because things can ever be easy, the guild hall's main room must've had every member of the guild here. Were we hosting another guild, too? I don't remember Fairy Tail being this big or getting the hosting memo. No. These were all ours. How was I going to sneak Juvia out like this? It's not often we have a new face show up out of nowhere.

As much as I'm going to hate to say this, I may need to call in reinforcements. It's bad enough Natsu and Lucy know about Juvia. And Mira, too. The whole guild wasn't ready for that, nor was she even close to being ready for something like that. Juvia would freak if I threw her to the rest of Fairy Tail. Given how prepared she was to fight Natsu last night, there's no way that would end pretty. Now, if I needed to find a spell that could get us out of here, who would I see about that?

That smelled like holder magic. I knew a few holder wizards in this guild alone, but I don't think Lucy's celestial spirits would take us through the celestial realm just to get us out of the guild hall. Which left me no choice. The one person I knew for a fact that would have something to help us out. I didn't hate him, but he was just barely on the same level as Natsu. Just a little below Natsu. This is going to be a root canal.

"Excuse me, ladies," he shooed his groupies away, "Good morning, Gray."

"I need a favor, Loke," I mumbled begrudgingly.

"Fun," Loke beamed, "What kind of favor?"

"I need a spell bead," I kept my voice down, making sure he was the only one to hear me.

"Well," he offered, "Step into my office. I got quite the assortment. What do you need a spell bead for? The ice-make magic not doing it for you anymore, so you have to venture into holder types?"

"No," I brushed him off, "It's not that. But you can't tell anyone."

"Oh…" Loke took it down a notch, "This really _is _serious. Alright, Gray. You have my word. I'll keep it between us. What do you need?"

"Invisibility, if you have it."

"Easy there, tiger," he slowed him down, "Invisibility's kind hardcore. What do you need with that?"

"I was under the impression that there'd be no questions," I snapped a bit. Time was of the essence.

"I'm merely asking as a concerned friend."

"We're not really friends, Loke."

"Then, as a concerned guild mate."

I thought it over for a minute, debating on whether I should throw someone else into this madness, "And you promise NOT to tell anyone?"

"I swear on my life," Loke promised.

"Well…" Here goes nothing, "I have to get a girl out of the guild hall. She's in my room right now and I don't want to draw too much attention to it."

"Gray Fullbuster, you dog," he awed.

"Could you not?" I rolled my eyes. This was what I was trying to avoid.

"What?" Loke shrugged, "Young love is adorable. First loves are even better. Tell me about her."

"No."

"Fair enough," he let it go, digging in his inner jacket pocket, "Usually, these are just for my own private use. Luckily for you, I've snuck more than one lovely young lady out of this guild hall."

"Loke…"

"Sometimes more than one in a day…"

"LOKE!" I wasn't here to listen to tales of his love life, "Look, do you have the spell bead or not?"

"I can spare you one," he pulled it out of his pocket, putting it into my hand.

"Thank you…"

"You're welcome," Loke smiled kindly, "Now, do you know how to use this?"

"Not at all," I probably should've thought that through before I started walking away, "How do I use it?"

"It's just a spell bead," he explained, "So it's not exactly rocket science. Give this to your girlfriend and have her break it. She'll only be invisible for about five minutes, so make it count. When the time is up, make sure you're hidden somewhere. A girl popping out of nowhere is going to cause too much panic and we don't want to do that."

"Got it," I twiddled the bead between my fingers, "Really, Loke…Thank you. I appreciate it."

"No problem," Loke gave me a pat on the back, "Send your girl my love. And possibly my phone number."

"Not a chance…" This was my only option. I hate that this was my only option, but it was either this or put Juvia through something she didn't deserve. I ran back upstairs and into my room where Juvia was still bundled up under the blankets. Was she sleeping again? I didn't want to wake her, "Juvia…?"

"Yes?" Good. She's awake.

"We have our way out," I handed her the spell bead, "Just break this and it'll make you invisible for five minutes."

"Really?" Juvia sat up, "It's that easy?"

"It's that easy."

"Alright," she squeezed it tight, disappearing before my eyes, "Did it work?"

"Can you see me?" I asked.

"I can see you," Juvia confirmed, "Can you see me?"

"No," I smiled, feeling her hand in mine, "You ready?"

"I'm ready."

Juvia and I left my bedroom and started heading through the mob in the guild hall. Mostly everyone was sitting down, so we had that going for us. Cana was still over a barrel, sitting at the bar with Mira. Lucy was checking the request board for a job. Levy and the rest of Shadow Gear off in the corner. Still no Erza, huh? I still hope she's ok.

"Hey, Gray!" Great. Just what I wanted to deal with.

"What do you want, Natsu?" I pulled Juvia closer, making sure he didn't bump into her.

"You missed out on the meeting this morning," Natsu filled me in, "Gramps said there's been sightings of a siren."

"A siren?" I gave him a look, "What do you mean? Like…An airhorn siren?"

"No," he clarified, "A water siren. Like Aquarius, but scarier."

"I didn't think there was anything scarier than Aquarius," Happy flew over, making himself comfortable on Natsu's back, "I thought we drew the line at big, scary, fish ladies."

"Sirens are worse," Natsu shuddered, "Rumor has it, they'll take your soul…and eat it!"

"AH!" Happy jumped, digging his claws into Natsu's back.

"Just be careful, Gray," Natsu warned me, "Where are you going?"

"Juvia's," I left him behind, making sure Juvia was still with me. Sirens…? Why would there be sirens in the area? And where would they be?

Nevertheless, I pulled Juvia into the alley outside the guild hall and let her come back to me. There she was. Everything in its place. Her legs still there. Her face was just as sparkling as ever. Although, she was stumbling over herself. To be honest, though, I was kind of forceful, so I'm not surprised she lost her balance.

"Sorry," I helped her back up, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," she got on her feet. But something wasn't right. I wasn't going to push her, mostly because I know better. And I know how much that sucks. But there was something not right.

It was a long, quiet walk back to Juvia's oasis. I always thought it was a quick journey through the woods, but she was weirdly quiet. I mean, I know Juvia didn't talk much when we were among other people, but when it's just the two of us? Maybe it's just because she's still tired? For now, I'll stick with that and hope for the best. Even when we got to the oasis, she didn't hesitate. Juvia dove right into her water, her tail coming back.

I took a seat on one of the rocks around the oasis, dangling my feet over the edge, "Are you sure everything's ok, Juvia? You seem off."

"I'm sure," she swam up to me, splashing her tail in the water, "I'm sorry, Gray. I didn't mean to make you worry."

"Well," I cradled her face in the palm of my hand, "I'm just happy you're ok. I promise I'll be back later tonight."

"Swear?"

"Swear." I needed to score another job. After last night, the amulet job's money was almost completely depleted, "You want me to bring back dinner, too?"

"That sounds nice," Juvia dropped under the water, "So, I'll see you later?"

"You can count on it…" I wanted to. God, did I want to…Not yet. Soon enough, though. Soon enough.

**A/N: What are you looking to do, Gray? TELL ME! Wait…I write you. I already know. I know what you wanted to do. And it's going to be the next chapter's title. But you'll see that soon.**

**Now, I have a question. Because I'm curious (and WAYYY behind), what are your experiences with Ao3? Because I'm thinking about switching or posting on both sites. I don't know. Like I said. Just a thought. Because rumor has it, that side of the internet is MUCH more active than things over here. Not that I don't adore my cozy corner of the internet. It'd just be nice to expand the mini empire here. Something to think about. Now, I will see you lovelies next chapter! xx**


	10. Warning

Same old guild hall. It's like there was never a mermaid walking through here a while ago. Thanks, Loke. Something about Juvia when I left, though. Usually, I need to use butter to get her off me. I never thought I'd ever see her so distant. Then, there's the whole siren mess. How would there be sirens in the area? I was always told they had practically gone extinct. I don't know. A lot of things weren't adding up these days and I have no idea why so all of a sudden.

Nevertheless, my pockets were running a little thin. Not that I regret a single moment of it, but who knew bringing Juvia to the surface would end up costing me so much? Almost my entire cut from the amulet job went to her. I mean, I'd do it again in a heartbeat, but I'm not exactly made of money. In that case. I should probably check the job board and see if any easy ones with a decent payout are left. They were usually the first ones to go. Just enough to keep life afloat with little to no effort.

"Hey, Gray?" Mira joined me at the request board, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, Mira," I kept my eyes on the board, "What's up?"

"I need to ask you about Juvia," she winced, "Are you…Never mind. It's nothing."

"What about Juvia?" That grabbed my attention. She looked away from me, "Mira…? What about her?"

"Well…" Mira went on, "It's just that…Around the same time you found Juvia, the reports of a siren came in. They were only just rumors then. But from the way Master Makarov saws talking, this siren sounded a lot like someone we know. So, I have to ask…Juvia…is just a mermaid…Right?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "Why?"

"Gray…" she sighed out, "You can't tell me you haven't noticed."

"Noticed what?"

"You fell for her so fast," Mira noticed, "Not that I'm not happy for you two. And when you met, I'd say you were at your most vulnerable."

"How do you figure?"

"You were mad at Cana and me for going behind your back. Sirens feed on vulnerability, Gray. It's how they pick their prey. And you know how dangerous sirens are."

"I know…" I rolled my eyes. If I didn't know any better, I'd think Mira thought she was my own mother.

"I'm sorry," she winced, "But I can't help but ask…Is Juvia a siren?"

"What?" I squeaked, my blood boiling, "No! Of course not!"

"Are you sure?" Mira kept tiptoeing around it.

"Yes!" I groaned, "Come on, Mira. If it weren't for you and Cana meddling where you two didn't belong, I wouldn't have met Juvia in the first place. So what? Yes. She's a mermaid and ONLY a mermaid. Aren't you the one going on about how romantic love at first sight is? And now, what, you don't believe in it anymore? Not even when it's right in front of you?"

"It's not that," she tried to defend herself, "But…"

"But nothing," I cut her off, leaving her behind, "If you'll excuse me, my apparent _siren_ girlfriend is waiting for me."

"Gray…" Mira called after me, "Just…Be care…"

I wasn't going to stand there and let her come at me like that. Juvia's not a siren. She's too…She's too sweet. I don't think she has a mean bone in her body. Defensive, sure, but she'd never do anything that would bring me any harm. She did try going after Natsu in my name, though. But if she didn't care about me and my well-being, she would've let us tear each other to shreds. If she's going to go so far to protect me, why shouldn't I do the same?

I stopped at a corner market and got some dinner for Juvia and me before going to the oasis. I did promise her. And heaven forbid I broke a promise to her. When I started my hike through the woods, the grassy path looked a bit flatter than normal. Must be more foot traffic through here. That's nice. These woods are a nice spot. Quiet, peaceful. It's a good place to turn off. That's why I like coming here anyway.

But then, some of the vines were strewn all over the ground and the berry bushes were practically picked clean. Looks like I'm not the only one that comes out here anymore. What a shame. And here I thought I had this chunk of woods all to myself. Well, with the exception of Juvia, but she was probably here first. As usual, I put our bag of food on one of the rocks and sat off the edge.

"Juvia…?" I kept my voice down, "It's me."

"Gray?" a gentle voice rippled in the water as the prettiest mermaid crested to the surface, "Good…It's only you."

"Well, yeah," I chuckled to myself, "Who else would it be?"

Juvia's face fell and a great sadness washed over her, putting a pain in my chest, "You're not the only one that knows about my oasis anymore…"

"What do you mean?" I picked her chin up, "Juvia, what's going on?"

"Other wizards have been all over here," she quivered in my palm, "When your friend at your guild hall said something about a siren, I had a feeling this would happen."

"Yeah," I shook my argument with Mirajane out of my head, "So did I. I just didn't want to admit it."

"I'm not the one they're looking for, Gray," Juvia's voice broke and those big, beautiful eyes of hers swelled with tears, "But they'll see my tail and immediately think I'm a siren. They'll try to take me out of my oasis and do who knows what with me. I'm just a mermaid, Gray. Yes, I can come out of my oasis, but not for very long."

Good…That's one thing off my mind. Not that I ever doubted her, but the reassurance was nice. I ran my thumb under her eye, catching the tears that so desperately wanted to escape, "I know. I can get them off your back for a while. At least the wizards of Fairy Tail. You'll be safe. I'll make sure of it."

"That's very reassuring, Gray," Juvia nodded, "But how? You're only here so often."

She had me there. How could I keep her safe? It's not like I could stay out here. It'd draw too much attention and it'd only put us both in danger. But then, I had an idea, "When I go to leave, I can freeze the top layer of the oasis. Just enough that they couldn't get to you. It might get a little cold, though."

"You'd do that for me…?"

"Of course, I would," I swore, "I'm not going to let them hurt you, Juvia. I promise. But…You know…I have another idea that could keep you safe. And I'd be able to protect you myself instead of my ice magic."

"What's that?" Juvia hoisted herself out of the water and onto the rock next to me.

As much as I was mad at her right now, she can come in handy, "I could bring Mirajane back here and she can give you legs again. They won't be able to catch a mermaid if she's walking amongst us."

"Actually, Gray…" she stared into the sparkling water, "Can I be honest with you?"

"Of course," I insisted, my hand on her soft cheek, "What's wrong?"

"I didn't like the surface," Juvia confessed, "I appreciate the effort, but I hated being on the surface. The people were too much. There was so much going on at one time. I hated it. Everything was awful. There was only one good thing about it. And that was you…Don't make me go back, Gray. Please don't make me go back."

"Hey," I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to my shoulder, "I won't. If you don't want to ever come back to the surface, I understand. People can be a lot to handle right out of the gate if you're not already used to them and everything on the surface can be a mess. But sometimes, you meet the right people that don't make your skin crawl."

"Gray…" Juvia laced her fingers between mine, laying comfortably in my shoulder, "I'm glad we met. I don't regret it at all. You're the only people I want."

"And you're the only mermaid I want," I hugged her tight, still struggling to wrap my head around what I just said. I had a _mermaid _in my arms. It's not exactly something someone sees every day, but lucky me, I'm not just someone. Not to her anyway.

"You don't think…" a light shade of pink swept across her cheeks, "Maybe…You could try my world for a change."

"What?" I'm not quite sure what she's trying to get at here. I know what she said, but…What?

"Would you like to come see my world?" Juvia offered, "I did get legs for you. Maybe…You could come and see what I see."

"Juvia…" my heart skipped a beat, "I…can't breathe underwater."

"Well," her voice…Something in her voice put me at ease, "You could find a way, couldn't you? For me?"

"Yeah…" I giggled a little, "Of course I could. I found a way to sneak you out of the guild hall. I'm sure I could find a way for me to breathe underwater."

"Thank you," Juvia's face lit up. There. She's all better.

"So," I wondered, "What's it like? Down there?"

"It's beautiful, Gray," she sighed out, "It's like nothing you've ever seen. I guess, if I had to make a comparison, if you took Magnolia, made it grander and sunk it, that's what my world looks like. Where I live is anyway. I can't wait for you to see it. I really can't. If you could breathe underwater, I'd take you right now."

"I can't even hold my breath longer than a few seconds," I admitted, "But I'm sure I can find a way. Maybe by the next time I'm here, I'll be able to see it."

Juvia let out a little sigh, "I'm so happy you come to see me."

"I'm happy to see you," I smiled, "And I want you to be careful, ok? Don't come up for anyone but me. I'm going to freeze the oasis now."

"You're going already?" she whined, "What if I don't want you to?"

"It's getting late, Juvia," I pointed out, "I know. I don't want to go either, but I need to be getting back to the guild hall."

"Alright," Juvia let me go and jumped back into the water, "Go ahead."

I had to be careful. If I freeze too little, anyone would be able to break it and hurt her. But if I make it too thick, I could freeze her into it and it could possibly kill her. No. I won't do that. I'll be able to manage. Six inches deep should be able to do it. Carefully, I put my hands on the oasis and started to cool things down. As the water began to solidify, Juvia swam deeper down for warmer waters. But before I could freeze all of it, I had to say my goodbyes.

"Are you ok?" I worried, "You're not too cold, are you?"

"No," Juvia shook her head, "I'm fine. The chill is actually kind of nice. And if I need to warm things up, I can just swim back home. Are you sure they can't get to me?"

"I told you," I took her hand through the small hole in the ice, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I'll see you soon, ok?"

"Ok…"

**A/N: I know. I know. I didn't post last week. Shame on me. I should be punched. Actually, last Wednesday, I was completely destroyed. I had a long day and I didn't have it in me to write. And I've been kind of working on another project in real time every day for the past couple weeks that I started posting to Ao3 last Wednesday. It's a Fruits Basket/Hetalia fic and it's a delightful mess called Trouble Comes in Threes, if you'd like to go look. But for now, I think I'm going to get back to it. See you next chapter! xx**


	11. The Other Little Mermaid

My poor Juvia. I wish she would've told me sooner that she was so miserable on the surface. She could've told me and I would've tried my best to understand. I knew bringing her up here was a mistake. And now, look at her. Practically on trial for something she didn't do. Why won't anyone believe me? Juvia's not a siren. She's a good girl. She wouldn't kill anyone…Right? Of course not. My Juvia wouldn't do that. And I needed to keep her safe.

Which begs the question. How am I going to do it? I know she wants me to see her where she's most comfortable, but how am I going to do it? I'm only human. I don't think Mira could give me fins and gills. Besides, Mira and I aren't exactly on good terms right now. I don't have many options. Am I going to have to swallow my pride for Juvia's sake? I may have to. I won't like it, but if that's what it'll take…

Wait…

Hold on…

That might be crazy enough to work. I need to breathe underwater and I don't want to have to go through Mira. It's a longshot, but I could talk to the only other mermaid I know. It may be a stretch and it may cost me my life, but if it's for her and it keeps her safe, it's totally worth it. It's too late now, but I'll talk to Lucy in the morning. We'll work things out then.

The next morning, I woke up and jumped out of bed without even thinking about it. Today would be the day. Or so I hope. If I'm lucky, this will be the day. I bolted out of the guild hall without any semblance of breakfast (or even anything to drink. Weird. Not now. Later.) and ran down the cobblestone streets of Magnolia. Because waiting for me right across the channel that flowed through town sat a cozy little house where some of the strongest wizards in the guild laid their head. I only needed to see one of them, though. I hope it's not too early. If it is, Lucy gets…kind of cranky. And scary.

"Morning, Gray," Lucy chimed at the door. By the looks of it, she's well-slept. Not out of her pajamas yet, but well-slept, nonetheless, "I wasn't expecting you to drop by this early."

"It's ok, isn't it?" I hoped, "I don't mean to drop by unannounced, but this is important."

"We're teammates," she let me in, "It's fine. It's when you don't knock at the door and break in through my bathroom window that bothers me."

"That was one time…"

"That was four times, Gray. I've kept track."

"Creepy."

"Creepy is you breaking into my house through my bathroom," Lucy pointed out, taking a seat on her kitchen counter, "So, before this gets into us arguing about the B&E charges, what's up?"

"Is it just you home?" I took a quick look around. And things seemed weirdly quiet. Either Natsu was still asleep or Natsu was gone. And given the delicate subject matter, I'm hoping for the latter.

"Yep," she nodded, "Natsu and Happy are on a job this morning. You just missed them."

"Really?" I wondered, "What kind of job?"

"They just went fishing," Lucy explained, "Not much of a job. More or less something to get them out of the house, so I can have some peace and quiet. Why? Did you need them for something?"

"Actually," I sat down at her kitchen table, "I was hoping to talk to you."

"Me?" she perked up, "What do you need me for?"

"Well," I told her, "I don't really need much from you, per se."

"Rude."

"That's not what I mean!" I defended, "I meant that I need to talk to Aquarius."

"Aquarius?" Lucy gave me a look, not a hundred percent sure if I was joking or not, "What do you need to talk to Aquarius for?"

"Let's just say…" Enough people knew about Juvia. I mean, I know Lucy's met her, but she doesn't know what she is. It's bad enough Mira did. I don't need Lucy making accusations, too, "Aquarius understands me on certain levels that no one else does."

Even when Happy followed me out to Juvia's oasis, he didn't see her tail. If he did, he wouldn't have been able to shut up about it the whole way home. Or worse, he'd talk about how much he wanted to eat it. Lucy still carried her skepticism, "And you need me to open up a celestial gate."

"Please, Lucy…" I begged, "This really is important."

I come to her a desperate man just wanting to protect his girl. And Lucy held the actual key to me being able to do just that, "Alright. I'll call Aquarius. But on one condition."

"Name it."

"We need to go to bigger water," Lucy stipulated, "And I'd like to take a shower before we leave. Is that ok?"

"I'm not going to stop you," I allowed, throwing my arms around her, "Thank you, Lucy. I owe you. And I owe you big. If you need anything, let me know."

"Well…" she gasped for breath, "For you to not break me in half would be cool."

"Sorry," I let her go. I guess I don't realize my own strength sometimes. Oops.

"But," Lucy recovered quickly, "If you're really looking for a way to pay me back, my gutters are gross. Natsu was supposed to take care of that the other day when I went to get groceries, but I found him and Happy on the roof, keeping watch for any marauders."

"You realize that's your boyfriend, right?"

"Yep. I know."

Lucy stepped into her bathroom and kicked the water on while I climbed to her roof. I didn't think that I'd be cleaning her gutters today, but she's getting me Aquarius. For that, I should re-shingle the roof while I'm here. I don't have any shingles, but I can get some! Not that the roof really needed any repairs. Everything seemed pretty good from up here. Gutters, Gray.

She wasn't joking. Lucy's gutters were beyond gross. They were covered in sludge and wet leaves and some sort of foreign substance that I was afraid to touch without any gloves. I'd rather re-shingle the roof than clean the gutters. I could do this. The things I do for you, Juvia. And I'm still not a hundred percent guaranteed Aquarius. From what Lucy's told me, celestial spirits can be fickle creatures. And no one fickler than Aquarius.

A flash of light came from Lucy's bathroom window. I didn't see anyone in the back. It was bright like a camera flash…I know she wasn't mine to defend, but she's still a friend. And I'm not going to let some pervert look in her bathroom while she's in the shower. That's not ok. I slipped down over the edge of the roof and took a quick peek.

"GRAY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Lucy squealed. Quickly, I covered my eyes. I didn't realize that'd be Cancer. That's right. He tends to get her ready in the morning more often than not. I forgot she had more than once celestial spirit. I didn't see anything, but I knew enough. Gutters. Clean the gutters. Once they were all squeaky clean, I jumped down and bagged everything appropriately. I'm good. I didn't see Lucy in a towel this morning. I cleaned her gutters. I just cleaned her gutters.

"Alright then," Lucy skipped out the front door, completely taken care of, her keyring on her hip, "We're going to pretend that never happened. We're certainly not going to tell Natsu."

"There's nothing to tell," I assured, totally agreeing with her.

"That's right," she confirmed, "Come on. If it's for something trivial, Aquarius usually responds better when we're on a beach."

"Why's that?" I followed her.

"Because, and I quote," Lucy explained, "She can work on her tan. She's one of my strongest."

I can't blame her. I mean, if she's not going to do anything for us, why not? And if all else fails, a trip to the beach isn't the worst way to spend the day. I need to be careful, though. I'm still reeling from my last sunburn. Lucky Natsu doesn't have to worry about that. Stupid dragon scale skin of his. I couldn't think about that right now. I had only one thing on my mind and that was getting through to Aquarius with everything still intact.

"Ready?" I asked, standing at the water's edge.

"Yep," Lucy pulled her keys out, taking Aquarius' key out, "Open, gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!"

The same bright light that shined from Lucy's bathroom shined out of the water as a giant mermaid emerged from the water. With a look of disdain on her face, "What do you…Oh. Hi, Gray."

"Hi, Aquarius." Here goes nothing.

"Hey!" Lucy whined, "Why does he get a happy hello, but I get met with nothing but sass and anger?"

"Because I like him," Aquarius argued, "Now, what can I do for you, ice cutie?"

"I need a favor," I requested, "I need to be able to breathe underwater. You helped us out for the Star Lake job and I thought you'd be able to give me something that may be more long term."

"Let me guess," she kicked her fins up on a nearby rock, "Girlfriend?"

"Yeah…" I could feel the sudden heat in my face.

"Aww…" Aquarius melted, "That's so cute. I'm a sucker for young love."

"You never say things like that about Natsu and me," Lucy pointed out.

"Oh, Lucy," Aquarius sighed out, "You really should be careful. Jealousy is not cute on you."

"Gee…Thanks," Lucy sat down in the sand to pout over Aquarius' catty insults and contemplate why she has a contract with her in the first place, I'm sure.

"Alright, Gray," Aquarius decided, "I'll help you out. Now, I'll be right back. Hey, Lucy?"

"What?" she snapped a bit.

"Keep my door open," Aquarius demanded, "I need to pop over to the celestial realm for a sec. You can manage that, right?"

"Duh," Lucy rolled her eyes. Aquarius disappeared back into her gate only to come back out seconds later, "Wow. That was quick."

"I told you I wouldn't be gone long," Aquarius tossed me a spell bead, "Here. I'm not supposed to be giving you this, but that's one of the rarest spell beads you can find. It's for water breathing. To the right buyer, it'd be worth a mint, but I'm sure you're not going to do something stupid like sell it, are you, Gray?"

"No," I shook my head, "Promise."

"Good boy," she gave me a pat on the head, "To activate it, all you have to do is swallow it whole and you'll have twenty-four hours of being able to breathe underwater. Make the minutes count."

"Thank you, Aquarius," I smiled, "Really. I appreciate this."

"I like you, ice cutie," Aquarius shot me a wink, "If you were anyone else, I wouldn't be doing this."

"Not even Lucy?"

"Definitely not Lucy."

"Hey!" Lucy squeaked, "Do you forget the celestial mage that holds your key?"

"Regrettably," Aquarius groaned, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a life. Good luck, Gray. And be careful."

"I will," I studied the little blue bead in my hand. Twenty-four hours, huh? I wonder if this could be supercharged in any way. It's worth a shot. But if I screw it up, I don't think Aquarius will give me another one.

Regardless, our work here was done. Lucy and I went back to her house to regroup. And as much as I was hoping to get out of this visit without having to see Natsu, it looks like I'm not allowed that luxury. He and Happy made their way inside shortly after we got back. By the looks of things, they're emptyhanded, too.

"Hey," Lucy chimed, greeting them both, "How'd it go?"

"Awful," Natsu pouted, taking a seat at the kitchen table, "Wait…What's Gray doing here?"

"We had some errands to run," she kept my secret, "I didn't want to run them alone, so Gray came along with me. Tell me more about your failed fishing trip."

"We thought we found a spot," Happy balled up in the middle of the table, "But…"

"But," Natsu cut him off, glaring a hole through me, "When we got there, it had been frozen over."

"That's unfortunate." Honestly, I don't think Lucy was really listening. She was too busy digging through the fridge.

"It's strange," Natsu thought, not breaking his glare, "It's the middle of summer, yet there's a pond in the middle of the woods that's completely frozen solid. Gee, _Gray. _I wonder how a pond in the middle of the summer could be _frozen._"

"Couldn't tell you," I got up. He found Juvia. I needed to act fast. As much as I wanted to drive him into the ground, I had better things to worry about, "Thanks, Lucy!"

And just like that, I was out the door. Natsu found Juvia. And if I know Natsu, he's going to try and get her bounty. No one's going to hurt her. And I'm going to be the one to make sure of it.

**A/N: Well, Gray. Aren't you a salty boy? He needs to get to his special lady in the woods. And not Aquarius. But it was nice of her to be such a help. And kind of a worried mother. She doesn't want Gray getting hurt. He's too cute. Can't blame her. Gray is kind of a babe. See you next chapter! xx**


	12. Before the Ice Melts

**A/N: Hi, friends! Look. I'm possibly out of town right now. I'm not 100% sure on that. All I know is that I'm writing this on a Monday and I'm possibly leaving tomorrow on a last-minute road trip, so bear with me. This is in the can for when I leave, so I got that going for me. Next week, we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming, more than likely, so let's get down to it, yeah? Let's do it!**

So…I just need to swallow this spell bead and I'll be able to breathe underwater for twenty-four hours, huh? I can't wait to see the look on Juvia's face when I show her. For the first time, I'll be able to truly protect her. She'll be safe. Most importantly, we'll be together. I pity whoever tries to split us apart. Between a powerful ice maker wizard and a mermaid, no one will be able to stand a chance. We can take on anything.

Although, just to be on the safe side, I should stop by the guild hall. Maybe someone had heard something about the actual siren. Or worse, they heard something about the mermaid I was protecting. That was the thing about most guild halls. They're hotbeds for any information. And word in the Fairy Tail guild spread like wildfire. I'm surprised no one knew about me having a girlfriend yet. I guess they have bigger fish to fry.

I took my usual seat at the bar, waiting for someone to say something…Anything. Come on. This siren has been the biggest thing to shake the guild since Lucy got here. Back then, it seemed like some sort of calamity fell over the guild every other week. There's no way people are keeping quiet about this siren. At least not this quiet.

"Hey!" Speaking of the village idiot, "Neat! I think I just found a job!"

Awesome. Quiet time in the guild hall. Really, Lucy. What do you see in him? Not my bed. Although, Lucy seemed interested in Natsu's discovery, "What'd you find?"

"Not to brag," Natsu totally bragged, "But this job requires a very specific type of wizard, expertly skilled in pyromancy. As far as I know, I'm the only one in the guild."

"Pyromancy's a pretty big word coming from you," I jabbed, looking at the flyer over his shoulder, "What's the job?"

"Apparently," he read, "That pond Happy and I found? The one that _someone _froze over? Someone's paying some serious money for someone to thaw it. They've tried the normal ways of doing it, but they've come to realize that it's not normal ice. And it's super thick. So! Looks like I'm going to be the one to take care of it! Better get to it before someone else in another guild does."

"No," I stopped him, "I'll do it. If it's magical ice, I can take that away, too."

"But rumor has it," Natsu gave me a look, "That's where this siren is hiding."

"And I'm sure I can take care of her, too," I stood my ground. You're not getting Juvia, Natsu. She's not a siren. She's a good girl. And I think I may love her. You are not getting anywhere near her. But Natsu also knows Juvia's face. He doesn't know she's a mermaid, but he knows her face.

"If that's the case," Lucy figured, "Maybe we should all go together. As a team."

"No," I shook my head, "I'd go alone."

"Gray…" Master Makarov came over to the request board, "What's going on?"

"Apparently," I explained, "Natsu's found the siren. And his ego's too big to let the ice maker wizard take care of the block of ice covering this pond."

"_My _ego?" Natsu snapped, "It says on the flyer that someone skilled in _pyromancy _or just _happens to be a fire dragon slayer _can melt this ice!"

"It's _magic _ice, you moron," I defended, "I can take care of it better than you could! I know how magic ice works!"

"Enough!" Master Makarov growled, shutting us both up. He looked accusingly at me, "Gray, let me see your eyes."

"What?" I wondered, "Why? You don't need to see my eyes. They're fine."

"Because," he explained himself, "If you're infected by a siren, that's the only way to tell. Your eyes will have a certain blue tint to them."

"My eyes already have a blue tint to them," I scoffed, "They're naturally dark blue."

"This is different," Master Makarov curled a finger toward me, "I need to see your eyes, Gray."

"What about Natsu?" I passed him off, "You don't ask if he's been infected. Why does it have to be me?"

"Because you're the only one getting defensive!" he demanded, "Now, show me your eyes."

"No!" I brushed him off, walking out of the guild hall. I can't believe they think I'm infected. Natsu comes in with Lucy on his hip and no one questions it. I get my personal life dragged out in front of the whole guild only to find a girl on my own and _I'm _the one getting the third degree. Master's always played favorites with Natsu. But my petty jealousy wasn't worth worrying over now. I knew I wasn't infected. And I needed to get to Juvia before Natsu does.

I might not be fast enough on foot, but on ice, I could make it there in time. I just wish it wouldn't leave a trail. Nevertheless, the faster I get to Juvia, the better. However, I was too late. How did Natsu and Lucy get here so fast? I knew Happy was a fast flyer, but I didn't think he was that quick. What do I do? Do I just get them out of here? I didn't have the time to think.

"Fire dragon…!"

"Natsu, stop!" I barked at him.

"Come on, Gray!" Natsu whined, "You ruined the moment! I was just about to do the thing…Let me melt the ice, nab the siren, take the girl out for a nice dinner…"

"Aww, Natsu," Lucy gushed, "You don't have to do that."

"And then call it a day," he decided, "So, if you don't mind, you're kind of killing my buzz. K?"

"I'm not letting you get at this pond, Natsu," I growled, "You're not getting any closer."

"But the siren…"

"Isn't in there!"

"How do you know?" Natsu argued, "She could be for all we know. And you could be infected!"

"He was seeing a lady out here," Happy chimed in. Very unnecessarily, "She was laying in this pond."

"And you're not getting to it," I glared a hole through them, standing between them and Juvia's oasis.

"Gray," Natsu ordered, "I don't want to do this, man. Move."

"Not a chance."

"I can always make you," his hands sparked up, his eyes ablaze, "And you really don't want me to make you."

"Like you could," I provoked him. Let's see what you'll do, Natsu, "How many scraps have we gotten into, Natsu? And how many times have I won? I'm pretty sure we're at an eighty-twenty split."

"And of those eighty, you cheated every single time!"

"I don't want to fight you, Natsu," I lied, kind of wanting to beat the snot out of him, "Don't make me do this."

"Lucy," Natsu got quiet, "Go back to the guild hall. Take Happy with you."

"Are you sure?" Lucy worried, "Maybe I should stay here and…"

"No," he insisted, "Go."

"Ok," she didn't want to go. I could see it in her eyes. However, she left with Happy on her back toward Magnolia.

"Gray…" Natsu demanded one last time, "Just let me get through."

"No."

"Move!"

"NO!" I blasted him, freezing Natsu solid. I told you I didn't want to do this, Natsu. But you left me no choice. I unfroze the top of Juvia's oasis and looked down in the water, "Juvia?"

"Gray?" Juvia swam up to the top, "What is it? You seem worried."

"We need to go," I hurried her along, "And we need to go now. They found you, Juvia. And they're going to come for you and you know that's the last thing I want."

"But Gray," she took my hand, "I thought you couldn't…"

"I can now," I smiled, digging in my pocket, "You're not the only mermaid I know. And she scored this for me."

"What is it?" Juvia looked it over, getting lost in the pretty colors swirling in the middle.

"It's a spell bead," I explained, "If I swallow this, I can breathe underwater for twenty-four hours. At least that's what Aquarius told me."

"But you'll be able to be with me?"

"Of course," I promised, holding her hand a little tighter, "Are you ready?"

"Are you?" Juvia's eyes had a different sparkle to them. I knew she was ready for this.

Without hesitation, I threw the spell bead down my throat and jumped into her oasis, freezing it back over, "Now, show me your world."

"Gray…" she threw her arms around my neck, pulling me under the water deeper and deeper. But I felt almost nothing. I didn't even know if that spell bead was going to work. But here we are, "You're in my oasis!"

"Time crunch, Juvia," I sped her along, "How do we do this?"

"I have a tunnel system," Juvia pulled me along, "If you would've swam deeper in Star Lake, you would've found my ca…Never mind. Let's go!"

"Wait…" I stopped her, "Before we go, I need to ask you a question."

"What is it, Gray?" she worried, "Is everything alright?"

"I'm sure it's nothing," I brushed it off, "But…If you were a siren, would you tell me?"

"I'm not a siren, Gray," Juvia answered immediately, "You know that. Like you said, though. We're on a schedule. And you only have twenty-four hours."

That's right. It's good to have some peace of mind, though.

**A/N: Juvia's so happy to have her Gray with her. But unfortunately, Natsu's also a popsicle topside. Poor thing. I'm sure Lucy's going to come back and find a way to thaw him out, but until then, Gray's about to see where Juvia comes from! I can't wait for next week. It's going to be magical. Until then, see you next chapter! xx**


	13. Crystal Palaces

**A/N: Hi, friends! Well, it's time again. So, let's just get right into it. But before I begin, I have a couple songs from the Little Mermaid in my head. In case the tone needed to be set for this first. Shall we? Alright! Let's…go over here? I'll be waiting at the bottom, K?**

As we swam through a long, winding, and intricate tunnel system, I thought Juvia was going to rip my arm off. Sometimes, she gets a little over excited. Sometimes it's at my expense. But seeing that look on her face…The pure joy that came out of every pore. I should've swallowed a spell bead sooner. If it meant seeing that beautiful smile, it would be totally worth it. Thank you, Aquarius. If there was a way of sending a fruit basket to the celestial realm, I promise you that I'd be sending one out.

Although, Juvia's face wasn't the only breathtaking spectacle in front of me. A sprawling and glittering metropolis appeared in the horizon. This place was huge! To think, this sparkling city was under Star Lake. I never would've guessed. Then again, Juvia herself caught me by surprise. Why should the city she comes from be any different? Although, I couldn't help myself, "Hey, Juvi…"

"Shh…" Juvia's hand went over my mouth, "What?"

"Um…" I stared down at her hand.

"Sorry," she pulled it back, "Necessary evil. What is it, Gray?"

"If this is Star Lake," I wondered, "Why is it that when I was on my last job, I couldn't see this place?"

"You couldn't get deep enough," Juvia explained, "It's how we keep intruders out. This is it, though, Gray. This is my home."

"This…" I pulled Juvia into my arms and held her close to me, "This is incredible. I'm so glad we did this."

"Me, too," she surrendered to my embrace, "But Gray…"

"Hmm?"

"We're going to have to keep our heads down here," Juvia winced, "You're already going to stick out like a sore thumb. You're human. I'm sure being seen with me won't exactly help your cause."

"Why?" I worried, cradling her face in the palm of my hand, "Is everything ok?"

"Well…" she bit her lip, "I'm…Kind of wanted."

"I know," I pointed out, "But it's all a misunderstanding. They think you're a…"

"That's up there," Juvia cut me off, "I'm wanted down here, too."

"What?" I gasped, the gravity of the situation finally setting in, "For what?"

"Gray," she brought me over to a big rock, sitting me down, "There are some things about myself that I haven't told you. Like how I came to my oasis in the first place…Or a big piece of who I am."

"Like what?" I took her hands. Whatever it was, it killed her inside.

"If I tell you," Juvia bargained, "You have to make me a promise that, even if you don't like what you hear, you won't be mad at me. Or leave me…"

"What?" I gave her a look, "Of course not. It's still a part of you, Juvia. You're the whole reason why I'm here. I promise I'm not going anywhere. Not unless I can take you with me. Now, what is it?"

"I…" Juvia hesitated, but with a gentle squeeze of her hand, I gave her the reassurance that I was still here. Regardless of what she tells me, "I ran away from home."

"Really?" I giggled, "Is that all? You just ran away from home?"

"Yes," she gave me a shove, "Stop laughing at me!"

"I'm not laughing at you," I apologized, "I'm more or less laughing at myself. When I was a kid, I'd run away from home all the time. It aged Ur horribly. At least that's what she'd always tell me. Out of all the things you and I could've had in common, I didn't expect it to be us both being flight risks."

"I might be a much more complicated situation than you, though…"

"Why is that?" I asked. She turned away from me without a word, "Juvia, talk to me. It's ok. I promise. I'm not going…"

"There she is!" a sudden voice shouted at us. Before I could even process things, a huge merman shoved Juvia and me apart, "Step away from her!"

"Hey!" I regained my footing. As much footing as I could have anyway, "What do you mean? Juvia, what's going…"

Before I had the chance to finish, Big Guy's buddy sucker punched me in my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. And if that didn't make Juvia's eyes turn red, "Don't hurt him!"

"He's a human."

"I don't care," Juvia stood her ground as small cyclones began forming around her, "Unless you want to feel true power, you will not touch him again."

But Big Guy ignored her. For the most part anyway, "We've been ordered to take you to…"

"I know where you're taking me," she glared through him, "But that doesn't give you the right to hurt him. You keep your hands off him."

"He's merely a human," he pointed out, "What would he be doing here if not to cause harm?"

"Are you questioning my judgment?" Juvia snapped.

"Juvia…" I hushed her, "Don't. It's not worth it."

"How dare you speak to her so informally?!" The back of Big Guy's hand connected with my face…At least I thought it would. That is until Juvia got a hold of it, bringing him down to his knees…Or what would be his knees, "Ow…"

"What did I just tell you?" she growled, her grip tightening around his wrist, "Is this how you disrespect your princess? By hurting her attendant?"

"Forgive me, your highness," he begged.

"You still answer to me," Juvia ordered, ready to kill this guy with the snap of her fingers, "No matter what my father says."

"Excuse me," I tapped on her shoulder, "Juvia? Could we have a sidebar here?"

"I'm sorry, Gray," she softened, "I told you that I kept some things from you."

"You're royalty?" Ever since I met this girl, she's been one surprise after another. I don't know why they surprise me anymore.

"I'll go back to the palace willingly," Juvia decided, "And I will deal with my father. But on my own terms. Not because palace guard thought they could kidnap me. And only if you swear to me that you'll leave him alone. You lay one more hand on him and you will beg for my mercy."

"Yes, your highness," Big Guy stayed still. Any slight movement would probably dislocate something, "Please. Will you let me go?"

"Yes," she threw his hand down, "Gray…"

"Yeah?" I perked up at the call of my name, "What is it?"

"Would you like to take audience with the king?" Juvia offered.

"Uh…" I was still having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that she was a princess. It still blew my mind that I was dating a mermaid and that I was down here. A lot of overload at once. And yet, here she is, asking me if I wanted to meet her dad! The fact that he happened to be the king wasn't exactly helping much either.

"Let me rephrase that," she took my hands and held them against her chest, "Would you like to come see my house? I've already seen your guild hall. I'd love for you to see where I live."

"You live in oasis, Juvia."

"Where I really live," Juvia smiled, "Please? It would mean the world to me."

"Well…" I couldn't. Look at that face. That sweet, innocent face. I can't say no to her, "Alright. Let's go."

She's royalty. The girl I met in the oasis that almost met the end of my fishing pole. The girl that almost kicked Natsu's butt to the moon for me. The girl that grew legs for me. She's a princess. And her house was no ordinary house. It looked nothing like Lucy's anyway. And it had to be twice the size of the guild hall. Juvia's house wasn't a house. It's hard to look past the fact that it was a full on CASTLE! I'm dating a mermaid. A royal mermaid at that. What was I doing here? I'm just a street rat wizard from the surface.

Whatever nerves I had, I'd have to lose them quickly. Because once Juvia and I walked into the throne room, I was face to face with her father. And he's three times the size of the guard that punched me. Yet, here I stood. A small wizard in front of him, doing my best to not make the water warm. The closest I've ever been to a mercreature this size was Aquarius and even she'd have to be doubled to come close.

"Juvia…" And his voice matched his stature, thundering through my chest.

"Hello, Father." JUVIA CAME FROM THAT?!

Immediately, he cast his gaze down on me, "What is this?"

"This is Gray," she introduced me, "Gray, this is my father, King Lockser…"

I've never met royalty! I've never met Juvia's dad either, but here we are! Relax, Gray. Just…Relax, "It's nice to meet you, Your Majesty."

"He's human, Juvia," he scoffed, "Why is he here?"

"Because," Juvia's face lost all color…But then, it came back. Full force, too, "Because I'm in love with him…"

She's what with who now? Did I hear that right? Juvia's…In love with me. Her father glanced over at me, "And? Does he feel the same? Has he made the same declaration to you?"

"Well…" she stared down at her feet, "Not exactly."

"Then bring him back to the surface," he demanded, "He's not worth your time, Juvia."

"Wait!" I stopped him.

"You dare speak out of turn, child?" I don't think her dad likes me.

I'm this far down the rabbit hole. Might as well see what it's like at the bottom, "I've risked life and limb for her. I've frozen my friend solid for her, just because he was after her. I do all I can to keep her safe. What other reason would I do something like that? I do love her. How could I not?"

"Gray…" Juvia melted, "I'm so happy to hear you say that."

"Well," King Lockser looked me over, not very impressed, "If you're human, how are you breathing down here?"

"A spell bead," I told him, "Magic's a crazy thing."

"Are you a wizard?"

"Yes, sir," I conjured up a little something, something. Even he could appreciate it. I made a miniature of Juvia, down to every last detail. And it turned out perfect, if I do say so myself, "I'm an ice maker wizard."

"Go get your rest," he insisted, "You shall prove your worth in the morning. For now, I need to have words with my daughter."

"Yes, sir," I nodded.

"Guard!"

"Yes, Your Majesty?" Big Guy swam up to us. Must be royal guard.

"Show Gray to a guest room."

"Yes, Your Majesty…" he grabbed my wrist forcefully, prepared to drag me off, but with one look from Juvia, he let me go, "Follow me."

I looked toward Juvia, making sure she was alright. She gave me a subtle nod and sent me off. I still couldn't believe this castle was hers. Laying in this guest room felt so surreal. I'll be sleeping in Juvia's castle tonight! I wonder what her father meant by me proving my worth in the morning. Either way, I really should probably get some sleep. It's been a long day of fighting with one of my best friends and keeping my…I guess I can call her my girlfriend now. I need to keep her safe. No one on the surface is going to get to her.

Creeeeeak…

As quietly as possible, I conjured a quick weapon. Better to be safe than sorry. Although, I think I'm pretty safe. A soft, gentle voice broke the silence, "Gray…? Are you awake?"

"Juvia?" I sat up in bed, "What are you doing in here? Won't you get in trouble? Or just as bad, won't I get in trouble?"

"You'll be fine," she assured, crawling in next to me, "I think I owe you an explanation."

"Is that so?" I wrapped my arms around her, "I got all night."

**A/N: So, we learned something new about Juvia…Or should I say _Princess _Juvia? That's right, kids. She's royalty! We also need to remember that Gray's spell bead only lasts twenty-four hours. And he's probably about to sleep eight of those away. But how ever shall he prove his worth? Tomorrow morning is going to be…Eventful, to say the least. And I can't wait to show that to you. So, until later, my friends. See you next chapter! xx**


	14. For the Hand of the Princess

So peaceful. So pretty. It should be illegal for someone to be so perfect. Then again, she's not just some person. Juvia is so much more than that. I know I haven't known her long, but I feel like I've known her all my life. But I still learn new things about her. Like the fact that she's royal. At what point do I stop believing I have a mermaid asleep in my arms and realize she's an angel instead? Because that time may be now.

Last night, some things about Juvia had come to light. If she had her way, she would refuse her crown. All that pressure weighed heavy on her shoulders and she hated it. You poor thing. All you want is your freedom. I'd take you back to the surface with me, but you didn't like it. There are so many other places that aren't Magnolia and I'd love to show you all of them. Maybe I could get more spell beads from Aquarius and you can show me the world outside of your castle. How does that sound?

Slowly, the little angel in my arms opened up those big, beautiful blue eyes of hers and looked up at me. I couldn't help but smile, "Good morning, Princess."

"Don't even start," Juvia giggled, burying her face in my ribs, "You find out I'm royalty and now, you're calling me princess? Don't do that, Gray."

"Sorry," I ran my fingers through her hair, "You can forgive me, right?"

"Of course I can," she rested her head on my chest, "Are you ready for whatever trials my father plans on putting you through?"

"Probably," I figured, "Nothing a good breakfast won't help. And as long as I can get back to the surface in roughly the next eleven hours, I should be golden."

"That's right…" Juvia's face fell, "You still need to go to the surface."

"Well…Yeah," I held her a little tighter. I knew Juvia didn't want me to leave. Along with her freedom, in Juvia's perfect world, I'd be there, too. To be able to swim with her without having to come to the surface. For the two of us to live underwater for the rest of our lives. But if I remember correctly, don't mermaids have some sort of immortality to them? Juvia said last night that she was still relatively young and that there wasn't much age difference between us. But there would come a day where I wouldn't be around anymore. It's unfortunate to think about, but I don't think she'd be able to handle it.

Juvia cuddled closer to me, not wanting to be anywhere else, "What if I don't want you to go?"

"Then, I drown," I pointed out, "And I know that neither one of us want that, right?"

"Right…"

But then, the door flew open and one of the big guards from yesterday stood in the doorway, "Wake up prisoner. It's time to get thrown to the wolves.

"Excuse me?" Juvia may not like her title, but that doesn't mean she doesn't like to throw her weight around once in a while.

"Oh…" Big Guy backed off, quivering in slight fear, bowing to his princess, "Princess Juvia…Forgive my intrusion."

"Not forgiven," she brushed him off, "But what do you want?"

"The prisoner…"

"He has a name," Juvia glared, "What is it?"

The guard stood there, completely dumbfounded. Then again, he didn't seem like the brightest bulb in the lighting department either. More brawn than brains, "Um…I…"

"You haven't even bothered to learn it?" she scolded, "Really? What kind of help are you?"

"I'm sorry, Princess," he bowed, "I haven't."

"He is not a prisoner," Juvia set him straight, "He is a guest in this castle and you will learn what his name is."

"Juvia…" I tried reining her in, but I think we're way past that now, "It's not a big…"

"No," she stood her ground, "I won't have such insolence and incompetence. Now, this is Gray. Gray, this is Terrence. He's not exactly our A squad, so please forgive him."

"It's really not that big of a deal, Juvia," I only added fuel to the flames in her eyes, "Alright. Alright. Terrence. Pleasure."

"Alright then," Juvia settled down, "Now that we have that out of the way, what do you want, Terrence?"

"Gray needs to prepare for today's events," he explained, "I was sent to retrieve him. Although, you were a surprise."

"Gray?" she looked up at me, the fire extinguished by worry.

"I'll be ok, Juvia," I promised, hugging her tight, "I'll see you later. And I'll make sure to prove to your old man that I'm good enough for you."

"I already know you are," Juvia kissed my cheek, "Good luck, Gray. I don't know what my father has planned for you today, but it can't be pleasant."

"I think I got it handled," I smirked, "But thank you."

"Terrence," she shoved her finger in the guard's face, "You play nice with him. If I hear anything happened while I was gone…I don't think I need to remind you of the consequences, do I?"

"No, your highness," Terrence assured, "I'll be nice."

"Wonderful." And just like that, Juvia was out the door. I may love her, but she has her moments where she's scary. Whatever she has to do, I guess.

"Here," Terrence threw me a set of leather armor, "You're going to need that."

"Ok…?" I looked it over. It's weird how it looks like it'd be my size, too. I probably won't need it, but it's nice that they're looking out for my physical wellbeing.

"Get dressed," he ordered, "When you're ready, come out and I'll show you to the battlegrounds."

Battlegrounds? Am I going to have to fight someone? I mean, I'll be alright. I can fight with the best of them, but was I prepared to fight anyone today? Not really. I wasn't really in the mood. A good night's sleep with the girl I loved helped that. Whatever it takes, I'll be sure to prove to King Lockser that I'm more than worthy of his daughter. She already told me so.

Terrence and I swam down the halls of the castle and out to what looked like a battle arena. Did he invite the whole kingdom to watch me get torn apart? I'll be alright. It's for Juvia. If this is what I have to do to prove my worth, I'll do it. If I have to stop a moving train with my bare hands, I'll do it. I've been keeping her safe for so long and I wouldn't hesitate to do everything all again.

"Gray Fullbuster," King Lockser called down from his viewing platform, "Do you know why you're here?"

"Because I'm in love with your daughter, your majesty." I may not have been around many royal types, but I knew how to manage. I could see Juvia standing by her father with the biggest smile on her face. And she melted my heart to no end, "And you wish for me to prove my worth."

"That's correct," he confirmed, "Bring them out!"

The gates around me began to open and six massive mermen twice my size swam out. They look friendly, "Hi there."

"These are six of the kingdom's best warriors," King Lockser reported, "You will be fighting all of them to prove you can protect the princess. Begin!"

"What?" Without any hesitation, they all came at me at once, swinging their giant fists at me. And to think, for their safety, I was going to hold back a little. Looks like I get to go all out. It's been a while since I've been able to do that. I hope the kingdom has good repairmen. Because I don't think this arena's going to be left standing. If the Fairy Tail guild hall is any evidence of my fighting skill, then this should be a piece of cake.

Although, these guys were good. They were fast and they were strong. But they probably didn't have the one thing I did. It's weird. Fighting like this was almost nostalgic. Kind of like when I fought Nat…Oh, yeah. He's frozen solid. At least he was the last time I saw him. I know I'm going to hear it when I get back to the surface, but it was all worth it. The things I already do for Juvia and her father still thinks I'm not worthy of her. Looks like I'm really going to have to prove it. In order to do that, though, I have way too many clothes on. I threw off the leather armor Terrence threw at me this morning and prepared my stance.

"Ice make lance!" I called out, pulling from the water around me to form a good, old fashioned lance to bring them all down. I could've frozen these guys like I did Natsu just to keep them down, but what can I say? Sometimes, it's fun to switch it up. Although, this fight took a lot out of me. I struggled to keep the air in my lungs, but I'll be alright. Eventually. A break would be cool, though. Or a nap. Or both. I stared up at the king's viewing platform, right into his eyes, "Am I worthy?"

"Well…" Well? Seriously? I just took out six of your biggest and best guys and all I get is well? For that, I should take Juvia and get out of here now. Well, he says… I'm insulted, "I suppose you are. I misjudged you, Gray Fullbuster. And if we're being honest, I'm impressed. I didn't realize how skilled you were with your magic."

"A lot of people don't," I told him, "You're not the first. Probably not the last."

"You've accomplished the first task," he applauded, "Congratulations."

"Yay!" Juvia jumped the gate on the platform and swam down toward me, practically tackling me into the ground, "Is this cause for celebration, Father?"

"Yes, my dear," King Lockser allowed, "Tonight, we shall host a ball."

"Yay!" Juvia was about to come out of her skin. Which made me a little nervous, "Gray, it's going to be wonderful!"

"It's not until tonight, though," I hoped, "Right?"

"Of course," she nodded, "Why?"

"Because," I winced under her, "Your elbow is in my ribs. And one of them may be broken."

"I'm so sorry!" Juvia freaked, "Do you want one of our doctors to look at it?"

"I'll be alright," I regained my composure, "A little bit of wrapping and a nap and I should be right as rain. You don't need to worry."

"Alright," she came down quickly, "Please. Let me help you."

"Ok," I wasn't going to fight her. Mostly because I didn't have that kind of energy left in me. I've seen what Juvia's magic could do and I don't want to be on the receiving end of that. She brought me back into the guest room and sat me on my bed. She came back with a roll of ace bandage and some pins and started wrapping my ribs up.

"Do you remember which one of the did this to you?" Juvia wondered, making sure to be extra delicate.

"I couldn't tell you," I shrugged, "Everything was happening so fast that I couldn't even tell you what they all looked like. All I know is that they were big and mean."

"I'm sorry, Gray," she ran her hand over my guild mark, "This was the last thing I wanted for us. I thought that if we could manage to stay hidden down here, everything would be fine. But all I did was cause trouble. And you had to get hurt."

"Hey," I picked her chin up, "Don't do that to yourself. I told you that I wanted to come down here with you. That's why I got the spell bead. I'm always here to protect you, Juvia. No matter what happens to me. I'll be fine. Besides, I heal like a monster anyway. This should be ok within the next week or so."

"Won't they ask questions, though?" Juvia rested her head on my shoulder, finishing up her wrapping job, "Your guild mates?"

"What about them?" I chuckled under my breath, "That is if they'll let me back in the guild. Something tells me that freezing Natsu wasn't the best move. I had to keep you safe, though. If he would've gotten to you first…I don't even want to think about it."

"I understand," she let it go, "I'm just glad we got to come here together. I thought this would never happen."

"I never thought I'd fall in love with a mermaid," I smiled a bit, "But here we are."

Knock, knock.

"Not now!" Juvia yelled at the door.

"Princess Juvia?" a soft, sweet voice spoke on the other side, "I found the things you asked for, your highness."

"Thank you!" Juvia quickly changed her tune, leaving me with the roll of ace bandage in my hand, and bolted for the door. Must have been one of the maids. Juvia had a folded set of clothes in her arms and gave them to me, "Here."

"I already got the ace bandage, Juvia," I showed her, "I don't think I can hold much else."

"Put the ace bandage down," she sat with me, "These were made by the royal tailor. It's not often a human gets to wear something passed through the royal family for generations. But it's also not often a human finds our kingdom either."

As I looked them over, I realized how many layers this had to it, "Um…Juvia…Do I have to wear this?"

"I had the tailor split the bottoms for you," Juvia's eyes sparkled a little more, "Come on, Gray. Please? For me?"

"Well…" I really couldn't. This was too rich for my blood and had more hardware on it than anyone knew what to do with. It's for her. It's all for her, "Ok. Only for you, Juvia."

"Thank you!" her face lit up. There we go. There's what I was looking for.

"But only because I do love you," I took her hands, feeling a little twinge in my ribs. I'll be ok. Just a little pain. I'll be fine. I've nursed worse.

"I love you, too," Juvia laid her head on my shoulder, "I have to go get ready for this, too. I'll be back in a little while, ok? Why don't you rest for a minute? You did say you needed a nap, didn't you?"

"Yeah," I nodded, making myself comfortable in bed, "Go on. Go get ready."

"Ok," she got up from my bed and left me to my sleep. Finally. Don't get me wrong. I adore Juvia. She's an incredible person. And so kind, so sweet, so protective. There's nothing I wouldn't do for her. But I will admit I miss the solitude once in a while. But who needs solitude when I have her? All I did was shut my eyes and I was out like a light.

"Gray…" a gentle voice whispered to me, "Gray, wake up…It's almost time."

I rubbed my eyes and started waking up a bit. I must still be dreaming. There's no way that this beautiful creature was in front of me. I had seen Juvia more in the past few weeks than I have anyone else in my entire life. Never once did I ever see her look so…So regal. Even when she came out of the shop in Magnolia, that couldn't hold a candle to this. Juvia was wrapped in rich shades of blue and gold in a dress made of light fabrics and intricate lace and stitching…She's stunning…

"Hi…" I blinked the stars out of my eyes.

"Hi," she giggled, "What's that all about?"

"You're…" I could hardly speak. I'm lucky if I could breathe, let alone form a comprehensible thought, "You're so…"

"I'll take that as a compliment," Juvia took my hand and helped me up, "So? Shall we?"

"We're missing something," I came to, grabbing my jacket, "Just one more thing."

"Oh?" she looked me over, "What could it possibly be? You look great, I look great, and the entire kingdom is waiting for us. What more would we…?"

I pulled Juvia into me by her waist and gave her the most tender and loving kiss I have ever given another girl. Then again…That would involve me having kissed another girl…I watched as her cheeks turned bright red. And I could feel mine doing the same. But I had to play it off. I could do that, "Now, we can go."

"Ok…" Juvia had the same stars in her eyes I did. We'll call it payback…Delightful…Wonderful payback.

**A/N: Looks like Gray and Juvia have a ball to attend. And they may or may not have just had their first kiss. I think they did. I'm pretty sure they did. Also, Gray did just beat on six big dudes. I think he deserves a night off. And soon, he'll have to go back up to the surface. There's also another trial waiting for Gray. This is merely the first celebration. First of many, anyway. I'm going to stop rambling now and go kick my feet up. See you next chapter! xx**


	15. I'll Be Right Back

Is it obvious that I have no experience around royalty in the least bit? The closet I've ever had is Lucy and she's not even royal. Aristocracy, sure. But this was royalty. Miles and miles out of my wheelhouse. It's such a good thing we're underwater. At least no one will be able to tell I'm sweating. It's alright. I can get through this. It's just another party. I can handle that. I've been to dozens of those before. That's not a big deal.

That is, until a pair of horns announced our arrival at the top of the stairs. I wasn't expecting the fanfare, "Her Grace, Princess Juvia and her champion, Sir Gray Fullbuster."

When did I get knighted? I guess I'll take it. But all of this because I took care of Juvia? It seemed a tad excessive. As all eyes fell on us, Juvia started to take notice of my fraying nerves, "Gray…It's alright. I promise. Just take my hand and lead me down the stairs."

I did exactly as she asked, slipping my fingers between hers. A sudden sense of security washed over me. Maybe this won't be so bad. I lead Juvia down to an area that was quickly clearing out, making my good feeling go away. Oh, no…As everyone else started to crowd around, leaving a decent amount of room for the two of us. Oh, no, no, no…

"Juvia…" I worried, hoping my face could hide it better than my voice could, "What's going on? What are we doing?"

"I told you," Juvia gave me her reassurance, "It'll be alright. I'll lead, but I'll make it look like you're the one leading."

"Wait…" In that moment, I realized my worst nightmare was coming true, "We're dancing?!"

"Again," she settled me, her hand reaching up to my cheek, "It's just traditional things we need to get out of the way to make my father happy. Once this is done, it's done for the rest of the night and we can do whatever we please. But until then, please…Let's just get through this."

"Juvia," I panicked, "I have two left feet. I should not dance."

"Then, it's a good thing that no one here has feet," Juvia smiled, "Other than you. You're the only strange one here."

"Not helping…"

"Gray," Juvia stopped me from spiraling any further, "It's very simple. One hand goes on my waist…"

"Ok…" I put my left hand down.

"That's…" a bright shade of red swept her cheeks, "That's not my waist…That's the top of my tail…"

"Oh," I let it sink in for a minute…realizing exactly where my hand would be if she were human, "So…My…My hand is…Is on your, uh…Your…"

Juvia moved it up a few inches, "In a sense."

"And in front of your dad?"

"In front of the whole kingdom, Gray…"

"I'm so sorry," I winced, "I'm not used to dancing with a mermaid. I didn't mean…"

"It's alright," she stopped me, "Let's try this again. Left hand on my waist, right hand in my left. After that, we move. I'll do most of the work."

"Ok," I pulled her a little closer, "Thank you, Juvia. And again, I really am sorry for…"

"Water under the bridge," Juvia giggled a bit. This was nice. Never in a million years did I ever think I'd share a dance with a mermaid like this. The two of us in a few lazy circles across the dancefloor, the water resistance on my legs. This was nice. Juvia laid her head in my shoulder, letting me take over, "Hey, Gray…"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think…" a little smirk stretched across her face, "Maybe we could add our own traditions to this dance?"

"What do you mean?" I wondered. Sometimes, Juvia's ideas made me nervous. I just want to know what I'm getting into.

"Do you remember," Juvia asked, "when we first met and I showed you my magic?"

"How could I forget?" I wrapped my arm around her waist, holding her up a little better, "What about it?"

"I was thinking we could do something like that," she suggested, "Only together. With my magic and your magic together, I'm sure we could put on quite the display."

"We probably could," I agreed, "Would that be ok? I think your dad wouldn't exactly be happy about that."

"My father is a stickler for tradition," Juvia confirmed, "But even our oldest traditions were once new. In all technicality, I shouldn't have brought a human here in the first place. But I did. I shouldn't have left the kingdom. I shouldn't have fallen in love with a human. We've never been traditional, Gray. Why should we start now? Please? For me?"

"Alright." Who was I to tell her no? Or to show off a little bit? Granted, I'm pretty sure I showed off my magic plenty in the arena today, but still. It can't hurt to show off the more beautiful side of it. Besides, if it makes Juvia happy, I'm not going to stop it, "Tell me when, your highness."

"What did I tell you about that?" she hid her face.

"So, now?"

"Now." Juvia pushed herself out of my arms, taking a few backflips with her. That's my girl. I threw her a couple of glittering ice crystals. The crowd started getting worked up. Good. With every beat, Juvia would do a new trick and I would shoot some more ice her way. And the crowd would go nuts with every one of them. I never thought that my magic would be used for this kind of pageantry, but honestly, I'd be lying if I said this wasn't kind of fun.

Although, I kept a close eye on her father out of the corner of my eye. His face stayed its usual stoic manner. Does he like it? Does he hate it? Is he automatically going to think this was my idea? Looks like we're just going to have to blow him out of the water then. Juvia did one final turn and sprinted toward me. Instead of blowing her father out of the water, I shot a frozen beam straight up with Juvia laying on top of it. Yeah…_That's _my girl. As our dog and pony show came to an end, the crowd erupted with applause and the two of us took our bows.

Yet, I still watched King Lockser closely. Not even the slightest movements. Why do I have that feeling he doesn't like me? He probably thinks I'm the one that corrupted his daughter. I showed her the surface and ways that were against her upbringing and now, she doesn't want to be queen of his kingdom. That's the thing, though. She did most of that herself. All I did was show her what the world on the surface looked like. And she didn't even like it.

But then…In a shocking turn of events, he smiled. Is this real life? Because I think he might finally approve of me. I knew I still had a task left to go in order to get his full approval, but we'll call this a step in the right direction. He saw how happy I made his daughter for no other reason than making her happy. That I defied their kingdom's traditions for her, no matter the consequence. But to no one's surprise, Juvia threw her arms around my neck. If anyone asked me, it's the best place for them to be.

"Gray, that was beautiful," she buried her face in my shoulder, hiding that pretty smile from me.

"I try," I kissed the top of her head.

"Thank you," Juvia looked up at me with those big, pretty eyes I loved so much, "Are you hungry?"

"Yes," I nodded viciously. I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and my stomach was starting to eat itself."

"I thought so," she chuckled to herself, taking my hand, "Come on. There's cake!"

When was the last time I had cake without it being hoovered away by…Oh, no. I may not be able to ever go back to the guild hall. Not without evisceration anyway. I already knew Natsu was going to try and kill me. I have no doubt that Lucy may try and do the same. But both of them would be a walk in the park compared to what Erza's going to do to me. Natsu may be the type to shoot first and ask questions later, but Erza…Erza would shoot with a cannon as a warning shot.

No. I couldn't think like that. This was too happy of an occasion. I didn't die in an arena today. I got to dance with a pretty mermaid. I got the approval of her father. And I didn't pee my pants when we got our introduction. It's going to be a good day. I just hope that whoever made the cake did a good job. Because anything in my stomach would make me a happy guy right about now. Unfortunately, Juvia had some dealings with her father to tend to, so that left me in a corner with my plate of cake.

"Hi…" another mermaid swam up to me. Not quite as pretty as Juvia, but still…She wasn't the worst thing to look at in the world.

"Hello," I kept eating my cake. This wasn't bad. A little on the wet side, but that's to be expected.

"My name is Lilia," she introduced herself, moving a little closer, "You're Gray, right? The human…"

"Yep," I mumbled through a mouthful of sweet, strawberry cake, "That's me. Human. Hero. Champion seems to be the popular one thrown around."

"I can see why Juvia likes you," Lilia sighed out, putting her hand on my shoulder, squeezing around my arm, "Oh, my…You really are as strong as they say you are."

"Uh-huh…" I inched away from her. Anyone else uncomfortable? Just me?

"The real question is," she wondered, "Why would someone like _you _be interested in someone like _Juvia_? I don't understand it. You're so…_You. _Just because she has that fancy title doesn't mean you have to stay with her. Besides, she's such a freak. Juvia's not like the rest of us. You deserve better to make _your _queen."

"But," I defended, swallowing the cake I had in my mouth, "I love her. Plain and simple."

"Come on," Lilia took my hand, "Let's go somewhere a little more private."

"No, thank you," I tried to shake her off, but she's tougher than she looks.

"I wasn't asking," she smirked, "Now, come on."

"I said no." Who was this chick?

"LILIA!" an all too familiar shriek rang through the ballroom, "GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF MY MAN!"

Uh-oh…I made sure my hands were completely visible. Lilia stood her ground, "What's a little mutt like you doing with a god like this? You don't deserve him and you know it. If it weren't for your…"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Juvia sent Lilia up to the rafters. Oh, yeah. That's definitely my girl. Although, being surrounded by cyclones made me a bit nervous.

"Juvia…" I kept my voice down, so I didn't startle her.

"WHAT?!" she snapped, more than just a little angry.

"Hey," I fought back, "It's just me. You know I wouldn't do anything like that to you. I wouldn't even go near her. You know I love you. And _only _you. So, please…Can you call off the cyclones?"

"Guards…" Juvia started to settle down. Not very much, but at least the cyclones were starting to dissipate. A handful of palace guards assembled in front of her, "Once you get Lilia down from the ceiling, throw her in the dungeon. I'll take care of her later."

"Yes, your highness," Terrence led the squad, "Right away. What are her charges?"

"FOR TRYING TO STEAL GRAY FROM ME!"

"Juvia," I took her hand and pulled her into my chest, "No one can steal me away from you. I do have a say in that, too."

"You're right," she rested her head in my shoulder. But then, things weren't doing so well for me. I started to feel sick, groaning a little, "Gray…? Are you alright?"

"I…" I wasn't sure how to describe it. I could hardly talk anyway.

"You look so pale," Juvia checked me over, "What is it?"

"Lightheaded," I choked out.

"The spell bead," she pieced it together, "Should we go to the surface?"

I nodded. I'm sure I just needed some air. King Lockser did a quick check of me, "You forget that he's not like us, Juvia. He's still human."

"I know he's human," Juvia worried, "But Father, can't you help him?"

"I'm sorry, my dear," he apologized, "I can't. He's beyond my power."

"Juvia…" I could feel its effects getting weaker and weaker by the minute, "Let me go to the surface. I promise I'll be back for you."

"We'll meet on the shores of Star Lake," she ordered, tears in her eyes, "And so help me, Gray…If you're not there…"

"I'll be there," I promised, giving her one last kiss, "I love you."

"I love you, too…"

As fast as I could, I swam back up to the surface, getting my first gasp of fresh air in twenty-four hours. It was nice while it lasted, but how am I going to get another spell bead? I'd ask Aquarius, but after I turned her boyfriend into a popsicle, I don't think Lucy's in the mood to do me any favors. Maybe there's some other way I can talk to her. She is a spirit. And she did say I could talk to her any time. A Ouija board, maybe? No. I doubt she'd come for something like that.

Let's see…Star Lake. Magnolia is about forty minutes south of here, so I should probably get going. If all else fails, I had connections in the underground markets. I'm sure someone there could procure me a spell bead or something else that'll help me breathe underwater that isn't scuba gear. Something about it killed the mood. And if I'm going to be spending some quality time with my girlfriend, I'd rather not be covered in fifty pounds of diving equipment.

As I started getting closer and closer to town, I noticed a few posters hanging on the electrical poles. Well, hi there, good looking. What's your story? Oh, yeah…That's me. Yikes. Never thought I'd be on wanted posters. At least they used a good sketch of me. At least it's asking for me alive, so I had that going for me. Charging me with conspiracy, though? A little harsh. I should be the one charging everyone else for overreacting. I'm going to have to hide. There's no getting around that.

If only that spell bead could control the fact that I wouldn't come out of the water soaking wet. There's one place open in town. As long as I can keep my head down, I should be good. For the time being, I threw my hood up on my jacket and inconspicuously navigated my way through Magnolia. Hopefully, no one will ask and everything will go well. However, because Gray isn't allowed nice things, the lady behind the counter got curious.

"Can I help you?" she asked, concern in her tone.

"I need a cloak," I requested, "Black one, preferably."

"Sure," she looked me over, "Are you alright, sir?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I'm fine. Just passing through."

"Alright…" Her skepticism was totally warranted. I'm sure that it's not every day some guy comes into her shop drenched, looking for a cloak to keep from being arrested. Regardless, money was money. She brought one up and put it on the counter, "Twelve hundred jewel."

I threw a few notes on the counter and grabbed the cloak, "Thank you."

"You have a nice day…"

Did she recognize me from the wanted posters? I hope not. But it looks like everyone's out looking for me, so I have no choice. I slipped into a nearby alley and dropped down in the sewer. The underground of Magnolia was infamous for dealings in dark magic. But more often than not, a couple wizards from the guild would come down here to settle some things. And guess who got that job more often than not? I stopped in front of a seemingly unmanned stall that specialized in spell beads and hoped for the best.

"Uh…" I peeked behind the rickety table serving as the makeshift storefront, "Hello?"

"As I live and breathe…" a slimy creature crawled out of the wooden crate in the back, "Do my eyes deceive me? Gray Fullbuster…"

"Don't say that too loud," I hushed him, keeping my head down, "It's Tova, right? You're the guy to talk to about spell beads?"

"And who do you think you are?" Tova hissed, "Do you know how many of my…business associates…that you and your friends and put away? My suppliers?"

"I know," I winced, "I don't deserve your services."

"Oh, it's much, much more than that, Gray Fullbuster," he smirked, "There's currently a bounty on your head. What's stopping me from yelling straight up from the pipes and collecting that bounty?"

"The fact that no one would believe a criminal," I argued.

"Sit with me," Tova insisted, "What's got your pretty mug plastered all over town?"

"That's none of your business."

"I'll exchange information on whatever it is you need me for…"

Tova had me in a corner. But what can I say? I'm desperate, "I'm keeping my girlfriend from them. She's a mermaid, but they're mistaking her as a siren. They wouldn't understand because it'd be easier for them to write her off as a siren than hearing her out."

"So, this is love," he awed, "That's so cute, Gray Fullbuster."

"And I need to be getting back to her," I brushed him off, "What do you have in the line of water breathing?"

"Water breathing, water breathing…" Tova thumbed through his wares, "I don't have any spell beads, but I do have a certain rarity that would probably interest a different Fairy Tail wizard."

"What is it?"

He spun a long, gold piece of metal between his fingers, "I'm guessing you know what this is?"

Of course I did. But I didn't think there was more than one, "That's a celestial gate key."

"Very good," Tova praised, "Do you know which one this is?"

"I'll take it," I demanded, "What's your price?"

"Exoneration," he bargained, "None of your little Fairy Tail friends will ever come after me again. I want your protection."

"Fine." Don't look at me like that. I don't like it any more than the next guy. The things I do for love.

"That was easy," Tova tossed me the gate key, "Do you know how to work it?"

"Yes," I shoved it in the pocket of my cloak, "You have my protection, Tova. Thank you."

"Welcome to the underground, Gray Fullbuster," he waved me off, "I look forward to seeing you again. That is, if you don't get caught first!"

I remember this guy getting picked up for selling black magic to little kids a while back for the sake of seeing chaos in the streets. And I hated that I had to go through him for something like this, but it's for Juvia. There's nothing I wouldn't do for her. And if this gets me back to her, then so be it. I booked it out of Magnolia and headed for Juvia's oasis. It's taped off…Such a shame. At least they didn't leave Natsu here. I've only seen Lucy do this a handful of times. Should be easy.

I unfroze the oasis and stuck the key in the water, "I call upon thee from the other side of the gate. Open, Gate of the Water Bearer…Aquarius!"

A bright light radiated from the key. Neat! It worked. Honestly, I didn't think it would, but it looks like Tova gave me the real deal. Out of the gate, a head popped out of the water, "Gray…?"

"Hello, Aquarius."

"I've heard some things about you," she took a seat at the edge of the oasis, "But how did you summon me? I thought you were an ice maker wizard, not a celestial one."

"I have your gate key," I showed her my latest acquisition, "It doesn't take a monkey to figure out how to work one."

"Well," Aquarius wondered, "What brings me to my celestial gate?"

"I want us to make a deal."

**A/N: So, it looks like Gray is in a bit of hot water. The guild's looking for him. Local law enforcement is looking for him. And possibly more. He's secretly cosplaying Mystogan. Now, he's dealing in the underground? Gray, sweetie, I worry about you. Is she really worth it? _*Yelling from the back* YES! _Ok…Ok…I'll back off…See you next chapter. xx**


	16. Make Me a Deal

**A/N: Hi, friends! Now, I have a little something, something I want to talk to you about later, so stick around for the end bit, k? Let's get to it, shall we?**

"Since when are you a celestial wizard?" Aquarius flipped her huge, sparkling tail over the oasis rocks just like Juvia did, "I thought you were an ice maker wizard."

"I'm not allowed a hobby?" Time was of the essence. I needed to get back to Juvia. She's probably worried.

"Someone's awfully snappy today," she dropped it, "We need to talk first, Gray."

"That is why I summoned you."

"What's going on with you?" Aquarius could be a little self-centered sometimes. Or maybe that was just a Lucy thing. But I've never seen her so worried about me. I didn't understand.

"What do you mean?" I brushed her off, "I'm fine. I just want us to have a contract."

"Gray…" she let out a heavy sigh, "I'm worried about you."

"Why?"

"Because," Aquarius explained herself, "Celestial magic isn't your style. You're an ice maker wizard. And you act like Lucy and I don't talk. I know what you've been up to."

"I just want a contract, Aquarius," my patience grew thinner, "Not a lecture. I have other things to do."

"Gray," she pointed out, "You froze Natsu."

"So?" I shrugged, "You don't even like Natsu. Why should it matter?"

"It's not Natsu being frozen that concerns me," Aquarius went on, "It's the fact that you froze him. You immobilized him. I just want to know why."

"Because he wanted to hurt her," I growled, ready to defend Juvia with every breath in my body, "I couldn't let him do that, so I trapped him in an ice prison. He won't be in it forever. His hot head could melt anything, even my ice. He'll be out in a couple days. But until then, I need a contract with you. More importantly, I need another spell bead. Twenty-four hours wasn't enough. I need more time."

"I don't think so," she shot me down, stretching out in the oasis, "That's not happening."

"You're a celestial spirit," I snapped, "You're supposed to do what I say. I am your master."

Aquarius' eyes started to turn red, "Excuse me?"

"You're. My. Spirit," I stood my ground with unwavering confidence, "You're supposed to listen to me."

"We never made a contract," she loomed over me, "I only make contracts with celestial wizards."

"But you said you'd do anything for me," I reminded her, "When we were at Star Lake, you told Lucy that if I needed anything, you'd do it for me. Now, I need you to make a contract with me."

"That was before," Aquarius settled her temper, cradling my face in the palm of her hand. Carefully, she looked me over, "It's worse than I thought."

"What?"

"I thought you were just in a mood," she figured, her eyes meeting mine, "It's so much worse than that. You're infected, Gray. I know you have pretty, blue eyes, but these are different. And you need to break out of this before it's too late. It may already be too late, but there's still a little glimmer of hope. You're losing your grip and if you're not careful, you'll lose your family, too."

"Aquarius," I needed to get her off my back. She's not my mother. She's not Ur. She's just a celestial spirit, "Have you ever been in love?"

"I currently am," Aquarius admitted, "Why do you ask?"

"Are you and Scorpio having problems?" I knew it was dirty and underhanded to bring her boyfriend into it, but like I said, I needed to get her off my back. And Aquarius already has the biggest crush on me. She doesn't hesitate to flirt with me every chance she gets. It wouldn't surprise me if she's having problems with Scorpio.

"Don't make this about us," she growled, "Gray, you've already gotten yourself mixed up with a si…"

"She's not a siren!" I pushed her off me, "You're just jealous that she's got me and you'd never have a chance. But now, I have you. Give me another spell bead. Now."

"Not a chance," Aquarius snarled, "You don't have me either. I don't answer to bratty, little wizards that think they can control me just because they happen to have my gate key. And I'm not making a contract with you, Gray. Don't say I never tried to help you. I hope you know what you're doing. Because no one's going to come and save you now. Good luck breaking your own curse. You know, it's ironic, really. Fitting. Even downright poetic. Who would've thought the ice maker wizard's heart would be so cold?"

With those angry parting words, Aquarius jumped back through her gate. So much for that idea. It didn't hurt to try, though. Wait…Did she just…? No. Coincidence. How am I going to tell Juvia that I won't be able to come back? All because I can't breathe underwater. This is going to break her heart and I never wanted to see that beautiful creature in tears. Looks like I'll just have to rip the bandage off. She'll be ok. I hope. Maybe there's another way and I'm just missing it.

I left Juvia's oasis to go back to Star Lake. But I couldn't shake Aquarius' final words to me out of my head. There was something about my icy heart that shot red flags up in my head, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Like an itch in the back of my brain that I couldn't reach. How could I have an icy heart when I knew a wonderful girl that melted me to my very core every time she enters a room? That was the thing Aquarius didn't get. Juvia…She was my everything. She was my sunshine and I never wanted to see a cloud in the sky with her. Although…This may make things difficult.

"Gray!" Juvia waved from the shoreline, her tail buried in the warm, soft sand. A sudden knot tied itself in the pit of my stomach. Her heart was about to shatter into a million pieces and it'd be all my fault. She didn't deserve that. Then again, I didn't deserve Aquarius taking me over her fin either. Might as well suck it up.

"Hi," I joined her, taking a seat next to her. Immediately, her head went into my shoulder.

"So?" she asked, "Did you get the spell bead? Can we go back now?"

"Juvia…" my voice broke as the guilt consumed me, "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…I…I couldn't…"

"You didn't get the spell bead, did you?" Juvia assumed.

"No." A few tears soaked through the sand, "I'm so sorry, Juvia. I tried. I was ready to fight a celestial spirit for one, but she jumped the gate before I got the chance."

"It's alright, Gray," she put her hand on my cheek, her gentle touch easing my guilt a bit, "Because my father gave me your next task. And it's on land."

"Oh?" I wiped my eyes, doing my best to get back in the zone, "And what's that?"

"The crown jewel of our people was stolen a few weeks ago," Juvia told me, "And he wants you to get it back. The last anyone saw of the jewel, it was in the hands of a blue winged creature. It's in an amulet and very hard to miss."

"Wait…" I thought back for a second, her description sounding a bit too familiar, "This blue winged creature…Did he happen to have it in his mouth?"

"He did."

"Happy," I groaned.

"What?" Juvia gave me a look, "What do you mean, Happy?"

"Happy was that blue winged creature," I explained, "He's a cat. He's the one that took the amulet. When I told you I had a job to take care of, that was what we were doing."

"You stole our crown jewel?"

"Technically, Happy did," I shrugged, "But I'll go get it back. That's not a problem. I know right where it's sitting."

"Good," Juvia smiled, "Because there's a water breathing spell bead in it. And I think you need that."

"I sure do," I mirrored her, kissing her cheek, "I'll be right back."

"I've heard that one before," she jabbed.

"And I was right back," I pointed out, "It shouldn't take me long. The guy's house isn't too far from here. I'll sneak in, grab the amulet, pop the spell bead, and be back in time for breakfast."

"That long?"

"I'll be right back," I gave her one last kiss, "I promise."

"Good luck…"

She's so perfect…And I do love her. It looks like I'm going to have to add B&E to my list of minor misdemeanors committed for the girl I loved. Oh well. I can manage. Now, this guy's house was just down the road from the lake. He did say that it was given to his family to protect against sirens, but I doubt it was ever needed. Especially against my Juvia. She's just a mermaid.

Let's see…Two story house. And I'm not sure which room the guy has it in. If it were me, I'm sure it'd be in an office safe or on display. He's not expecting anyone to take it, so this should be an easy job. I'll be in and out just like I promised. I took a quick walk around the house to get a general layout of the house. Living room in the front right. Kitchen in the back. Dining room off the living room. Library off the kitchen. I didn't see anything in the library aside from the books, so I'm guessing his office is upstairs. If I could find an open window, that'd be great.

Shimmying up his gutter wasn't in the plans for the night, but I could do it. I found a cracked window toward the back of the house. The only problem is that I can hear the guy snoring from here. He's worse than Erza after a long job. She's one of the strongest wizards I've ever had the privilege of calling a friend, but her snores could wake the dead. That's for sure. Especially when it's the first time she's gotten any sleep in a day or two. Carefully, I tiptoed through the halls of his house in search of his office. Hopefully, he's a heavy sleeper.

His office wasn't bad. The dark furniture played nicely off the brightness of the moon's reflection on the water. And it gave me just enough light to see in here. Looks like the odds are in my favor. I took a quick look around and found a glass case sitting on a marble pedestal. If I were the amulet, that's where I'd be. I'm coming back, Juvia. Keep the bed warm for me…

…It's gone. I know this is the right house. This was where we came to collect our reward. And I knew the guy in the bedroom was the same guy that gave us said reward. Where did this amulet go? The stand where it was supposed to be housed a note. A placeholder for the Lockser family's crown jewel…and it's a sticky note? I don't think this guy knows what he has.

_Under the protection of the Fairy Tail guild._

That's what I was afraid of. So, I'm going to have to go back to Magnolia, huh? I was just there…Why couldn't I have known the amulet was there then? It would've been nice if Aquarius would've let me in on that…Then again, she's not exactly happy with me right now. All she had to do was agree to a contract with me. Was that too difficult? Oh well. I knew exactly why this note was here. They're trying to get me back home. I don't want to hurt my guildmates. All I want is the amulet. I'll take it and go. But if I know Fairy Tail, they're not going down without a fight.

**A/N: Aww…Gray needs a hug. Someone get him a hug. **

**Now, that thing I was going to talk to you about. Because it's getting to be that time of year again where I post for one story for an entire week. Bomb week, if you've been around for a while. But from June 24th to June 28th, I'm going to be posting every single day five different chapters for the Siren's Song. However, the two weeks before that? I'm going to be posting different stories, so I'm going to be on hiatus until then. You'll be alright then, won't you? I hope so. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go take my dog outside to weewee and then, I'm thinking I go to bed. See you next chapter! xx**


	17. Cat Burglar

**A/N: Hi, internet friends! Look, I know I was supposed to post yesterday, but I spent the day in St. Louis, bringing my cousin back to the airport and had to deal with a wedding all weekend long, so time was not on my side. I'm sorry for that. I'm sure I'll make up for it one day. However! Today! Is Fairy Tail bomb week. Welcome, welcome. For the rest of the week, it's just going to be you and me. Is that alright? I'm sure it will be. And chances are, I'll be able to wrap up the story this week, too, so there's that. Now, I have a giant cup of sweet tea by my left hand, my notebook at the right one. I'm prepared. Are you? Probably not. How about a recap first? Since it has been a couple weeks since we last saw each other. If you're reading this in the future and happen to be going on a binge, feel free to skip this next bit. You don't need it. Just jump down to the actual chapter. **

**Where we last left off, Gray had gotten his quest from Juvia's dad (or HRH King Lockser) through Juvia to retrieve the crown jewel of the Lockser family (that he and the whole Scooby gang had stolen earlier). Although, it's kind of hard to steal the jewel back when it's not there, but in its place is a sticky note saying it's under the protection of Fairy Tail. So, that's where we're going to pick up. Because Gray did tell Juvia that he'd get it back. And there was a spell bead attached to it that'll get him back underwater. Shall we get into it, then?**

Looks like Magnolia's really beefed up security sine I was last here. I didn't think I'd ever be so wanted that military presence would be necessary. So, I froze Natsu solid. How is that any different than when we usually fight? Because I had a better reason than mere senseless violence? Why won't anyone listen to me? All they see is a pretty face, a gentle voice, and a sparkling tail and jump to conclusions. It's not right.

On the plus side, since the military was looking for me, chances are, they'll need help. I bet they asked the local guild for help. That means, going by that logic, the guild hall should be empty. Awesome! If I know the Fairy Tail guild and they're guarding the amulet, I'm sure Master Makarov left someone behind to keep an eye on it. Or he's got a hold of it. Either way, it's not going to hurt to check there first.

Under the cloak of night, I cased the guild hall for any signs of life. By the looks of things, everything's quiet. Maybe I got lucky and nobody's here. It sure looks that way, but just to be safe, I can't take any chances. I scaled my way up the gutter and climbed in through my usual bedroom window. Everything's still quiet. Perfect. Now, if I were hiding the amulet from a wanted alleged criminal, where would I hide it? Probably Master's room. He probably has some sort of safe in there where he keeps all his fun stuff.

I walked through the upper level of the guild hall on light feet and searched everywhere for that amulet. Juvia needs that amulet. More importantly, I need that amulet, so I can keep Juvia and prove to her dad that I'm totally worthy of her. And I never ever want to let her go. I took a quick peek downstairs and I've never seen the guild hall so eerily empty. A sudden uneasy feeling washed over me. It's amazing that these guys were once my friends and my guildmates…my family. Now, they're hunting me down because of some rumor. It's a shame it's come to this.

Well, since this place is so empty, getting the amulet back should be simple. Still, I can't be too careful. Slowly, I opened the door to Master's room. Where would I hide a safe in here? Because there's no way he doesn't have that amulet locked up. Just in case someone wanted to steal it. It would be the smart move, but it'd be nice if he would've hidden it somewhere obvious. Something tells me that the longer I stay in Magnolia right now, the worse off I could be. It'd be so nice if I could be in and out, but I don't think that's in the cards for me. Oh, well. I'm sure I'll find it somewhere in here.

After turning over the mattress on his bed, emptying out his nightstand (and finding things in there that I never ever wanted to see…I'm so sorry, Mirajane.), and skimming through every book on his shelves, I couldn't find anything even remotely close to the amulet. No secret shelves, no hidden safes, no nothing. Where would he have put it? Downstairs, maybe? I'm pretty sure there's a safe behind the bar. Mira's got to keep the money from the register somewhere.

I wasn't stupid with how I went about this. Everything went back in its proper place before I shut the door again. Master Makarov wouldn't know anything was out of place. Now, behind the bar…Wow…Is it me or did it drop an easy twenty degrees in here? Out of nowhere, the guild hall got cold. Coming from me, that's saying something. Usually, it doesn't bother me all that much, but this? This was a different kind of cold. And I don't understand where it's coming from. All the doors and windows were shut.

"Hello, Gray," the silence broke behind me. And the chill in the air made more sense. Afraid of who I was about to see, I took my time turning around.

"Erza…" I quivered a bit, hoping she didn't see me sweat, "I thought you were out on a job. When did you get back?"

"Yesterday afternoon," Erza reported, taking a seat at the bar, "You and I need to talk."

"Ok," I played it off, sitting next to her. When Erza gets back from a long job, people know better than to say anything to her. She's exhausted, she's sore, so she's due for a hot bath and a bed. If Erza doesn't get her alone time, that's when things in the guild get very bad for all involved very quickly. Erza without her alone time makes Natsu's and my petty skirmishes seem like a vacation. So, there's no way someone's told her about what's going on, "What's up?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," she kicked her feet up on the empty barstool, "What's new with you?"

"I asked you first." If I can keep the heat off me for a while, then I'll be able to skip out of here with no problem, "How did your last job go?"

"Rather well," Erza told me, "Monster hunting is always a fun job. It's nice to blow off some steam once in a while."

Because you don't do that when you clock Natsu and me together? If you say so, "Did you bring back any trophies?"

"Not this time," she shook her head, "Although, there was one creature tearing through a village that had the most beautiful pelt, but I didn't have the time to sit and skin it. I've never seen a shade of red with such pretty gold undertones before. It would've made for a nice coat. Such a shame I had to leave it. I'm sure one of the hunters in the village will find it and use it to keep their little ones warm."

"Wow, Erza," I chuckled a bit, "I never thought you'd think so domestically."

"It may not be for me," Erza shrugged, "But it's someone else's reality. Who am I to stop them from living their lives?"

"I guess you're right."

"Now," she turned the tables, "It's your turn. What's new with you?"

"Me?" I needed to be careful. Sometimes, my conversations with Erza can be a mine field. One wrong move and she's the one exploding. I don't want Erza mad. If I can get through this, I'm in the clear and I can run off to find Master Makarov, who most likely has Juvia's amulet, "Everything's great. You know…Just keeping busy, same as you. Waking up, working a job, coming home to unwind. Same old, same…"

"Are you done lying to me, Gray?" Uh-oh.

Don't panic, Gray. Don't panic, "What do you mean? I told you that I've been keeping busy. That's not lying to you."

"Gray…" Erza stared me down in disbelief, "Master Makarov told me everything. I know what's been keeping you busy."

Just when I thought I was in the clear. So much for that idea, "It's not what you think."

"That's why I'm not getting angry with you yet," she explained, "I wanted to hear your side of the story first before I get angry with you."

"Alright…" At least someone's giving me a chance. I came clean with her. There's no sense in trying to hide anymore. She knows everything already. With the exception of my side. But hopefully, she'll be able to see my side. If I can get Erza on my team, maybe everyone else will listen, too. But now, she knows everything. Me meeting Juvia, me falling in love with her, me freezing Natsu, everyone thinking Juvia's a siren. She's not. Juvia's a good girl, not a full-on siren.

"Well…" Erza thought, "I can't exactly go either way on this. I've never met Juvia, so I can't say if she's a mermaid or a siren."

"She's a mermaid!" I squeaked, "I've been with her for the last month and a half. If she was, you'd think I'd pick up on it!"

"So," she asked, "What are you doing here? If you're on the run, coming to the Fairy Tail guild hall isn't exactly the smartest decision you've made."

"I'm looking for something…" I confessed, "An amulet. Silver chain, blue stone, spell bead on the chain."

"You mean, the Siren's Amulet?"

"Exactly the Siren's Amulet."

"I'm sorry, Gray," Erza sighed out, "I can't do that."

"Why not?" I growled, "Where is it?"

"It's the only defense we have against a siren," she stood her ground, "And I can't give it to you."

"What do you mean?" I wondered, "It's not a weapon. It's the Lockser family crown jewel."

"And it can stop any siren," Erza corrected me, "That's what it's for. And that's why we have it."

"I need it," I stuck my hand out, "If you have it, Erza, please give it to me."

"I do have it," she confirmed, "But no, Gray."

"Fine," I could think of something else. But I needed to get out of the guild hall before someone saw me that wasn't Erza. I started walking toward the front door.

"Gray…" Erza blocked me.

"Erza," my plan B kicked in, "I can talk to Juvia. I'm sure she could find the siren. Mermaids are excellent trackers. And since sirens descend from mermaids, or maybe it's the other way around. I don't know. But I'm sure she could find this siren and I can take it out. What you have is her family's crown jewel. Give it to me and I can take out the siren."

"Unless you already have."

"It's not Juvia!" I was ready to throw hands with her. As much as I didn't want to for my own safety. I'm sure Juvia wants me in one piece, "She's a good girl. She's just a mermaid! Please, Erza. Let us go after it."

"No, Gray," she wasn't budging.

"Fine…" I threw my arms around her, "But it's been nice seeing you, Erza. I'm sorry that I have to leave so soon."

"You do know," Erza spoke softly, "They're all looking for you. They're going to be coming after you."

"I know," I nodded, shoving my hands in my cloak pockets, "But I think I'll be able to handle it."

"Gray…" she took my face between her hands, "I'm worried about you. You're not yourself when you talk about this mermaid."

"Isn't that the point?" I figured, "For her to make me want to be better? So, why is that so bad?"

"Fine," Erza was done with me, "Go. Good luck."

I gave her a little nod and took off out the front door. I know I said I needed that stone. But the thing is that I have another gift that's not just my ice magic. Relying on that alone doesn't make a strong wizard. However, being able to do a little sleight of hand? That's a skill that will never go useless. It's strange. The last time I saw this amulet, it had been in Happy's mouth. But now, it's back in my pocket. I slipped out of town without being seen and started heading into the woods.

"Gray!" Erza called after me. I didn't even realize I was being followed…She's good.

"What?" I stopped and turned around. She didn't notice I may have stolen the amulet back, did she…?

PUNCH!

I fell on my back and blacked out. I think it's safe to say she did…

**A/N: Poor Gray. He's been going through too much, man. Someone needs to take care of this boy. My money's going to be on Erza shortly, but Juvia may be a strong contender. We don't know. Well…I know, but I'm also the one writing this, so plot lines! And this is only the beginning. See you next chapter! xx**


	18. Slipping Through the Cracks

**A/N: Hi, friends! Welcome to day two! It's nice to have you here and that you're not stuck in the airport somewhere. Unless you're reading this from the airport. In which case, I hope you have a safe flight to wherever it is you're going. But now, it's time to get into today's chapter! Yay!**

My head hurts…First things first…Where am I? The last thing I remember was being in the woods outside of Magnolia and now, I'm here, sitting up in some room that I don't think I've ever seen before with a pounding in my head and vision in my left eye blurry. The feeling of cold metal on my wrists did not make things better. Where am I? And why am I chained up down here? Someone better start giving me answers.

"Look at that," a familiar voice spoke from the dark, "Here I was worried I hit you too hard and knocked you out more than I thought. It's good to see you're awake, Gray."

"Erza…" I shook my chains a bit, trying to get them loose, "What's going on?"

"You can't be trusted anymore," Erza explained, pulling my head back, "You're not too worse for wear, though. How's your eye?"

"Blurry," I told her, "Now, why did you bring me down here? And where is here exactly?"

"We're in the basement of the guild hall," she pulled up a chair next to me, "I told you that you and I needed to talk. Yet, you blatantly ignored me, pickpocketed me, and ran off. Do you know what kind of punishment that warrants, Gray?"

"If you're going to fight me," I growled, "Then, fight me. I still need that amulet and I'm still going to return it to its rightful owner."

"Listen to me," Erza demanded, taking a bottle from her pocket. I didn't even know her armor could have pockets. In that bottle, a shiny blue liquid sloshed around, "You're going to drink this. I've spoken with a shaman and she said that if you're infected by a siren, this should help. At least to settle your neurosis."

"I don't have any sort of neurosis," I defended, "Because I'm not infected by a siren. The only thing I've come into contact with are merfolk. No sirens. Just a beautiful mermaid that's stolen my heart. And I think that makes you jealous."

"Please," she rolled her eyes, a slight tear forming in the corner of her right one, "I'm not jealous, Gray. Love is just a mixture of chemicals in your brain and yours are horrendously out of balance because of this siren. And I realize you'd do anything for this girl, but this isn't right. Do you realize what you're losing when you run to her? Every single time?"

"What are you talking about?" I couldn't ignore that headache that Erza was so kind to give me, "I'm not losing anything. I have the best girl I've ever met in my life in my arms and you want me to throw that back? I don't think so."

"What about your family, Gray?" Erza snapped, her tears flowing more willingly, "You're pushing us away for this girl. She's taking you away from us! Look at the lengths you're willing to go just for this girl."

"Because I love her!"

"You wouldn't know what love was if it bit you in the butt!" she snarled, "But us? Your friends? Your family? We're the ones who love you. The ones who care about you and your wellbeing. If we didn't, you and I wouldn't be sitting down here, you idiot! What does she do for you that we can't?"

"She makes me feel alive!" I argued, "She's the one that lets me be me at my own pace. She's my entire world, Erza. Don't make me choose."

"I would never," Erza started to settle, "But Gray, she's not good for you. I know you think you love her, but that's because she's messing with your mind."

"I don't see how that's any different than falling in love normally," I shrugged, "Maybe you're just mad that it's with her and not you."

"What do you mean?" she gave me a look, "Gray, I have someone."

"And you stare out the window night after night wondering when he's going to come back," I played dirty, "Jellal? Your Jellal? He's probably never coming back. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if he's gone up in the mountains and become a monk. Not that he's got much for redemption…"

"You shut your mouth," Erza glared, ready to throw another punch. That's right. Get angry. Fight me.

"Why?" I egged her on, "Because I'm right? Because I'm being honest? Because you're afraid to admit that to yourself? Face it, Erza…You're not getting your Jellal back…"

PUNCH!

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO STOP!" her eyes turned red. But then, she calmed down enough to remember her task at hand. Erza put the bottle up to my mouth, "Drink this."

"I don't need it."

"Humor me."

"I already told you," I turned my head, "I don't need it."

"I don't have time for this," Erza groaned, "If you don't drink it willingly, I'm forcing it down your throat!"

"Hey, Erza," I thought, "What are these chains made of?"

"Steel," she told me, "Why?"

"Just curious." I've never tried going that cold. I'm sure it's not that hard.

"Take this," Erza shoved the bottle back in my face, "It's not going to kill you. If you're infected…"

"I'm not infected," I cut her off.

"This can cure you," she finished, "It should anyway. Now, take it."

"No!"

"Take it, Gray!" Erza pulled my head back again, forcing the bottleneck between my lips. Whatever medicine she gave me filled my mouth, "There. Was that really so difficult? Did you take it?"

I simply nodded once.

"Good," she got off my lap, "Authorities are going to be here shortly to get you. Unless they decide to let you rot in here…"

With a slam of the door, it was safe to say that Erza was good and angry at me. However, a foolish mistake had been made. Ice can freeze steel, Erza. And when steel freezes…It shatters. A little bit of ice maker magic and I was out of my chair. I grabbed the bottle off the counter and spat out the contents of my mouth. Whatever that shaman gave her tasted awful. I'm impressed that I didn't spit it out sooner. Like raw sewage. And I doubt that simple potions like that would take care of a siren's spell anyway. Not that I was under it. Erza must have had her mind made up when we were still in the guild hall.

I peeked out the window in the door and noticed her still standing outside the door. Her sobbing was light, but just enough to block out the noise of the door handle. I nicked the amulet back and hopped out the window. By the looks of it, we were at the back of the guild hall. It's just a quick run down the alley and straight into the woods with no problems. Now, the king said there was a spell bead attached to this amulet. And it hung off the clasp, waiting for me to pop it into my mouth. I wonder if this one is stronger than the one Aquarius gave me. He didn't really give me much for specifics. Oh, well. If it gets me back to Juvia, it's long enough.

I can't believe Erza had the audacity to say Juvia was taking me away from my family. She's all the family I need anymore. I don't need them. I'm sure that being with the princess comes with some perks. Working little jobs around Fiore won't be necessary anymore. Besides, I'll have the best treasure I could possibly get. What more could I want? So, I wouldn't have Natsu to beat the ever-living snot out of once in a while. So, I wouldn't have Lucy's smiling face to brighten my day or Happy to drive me nuts or Mira after a long day's work. So what? I can get all of those from a beautiful mermaid that's stolen my heart. Why would I ever want to go back?

Soon enough, I had found my way back to the oasis. I knew Juvia had a tunnel system that led straight to the kingdom. What's stopping me from taking it? That's right. Absolutely nothing. Without thinking, I jumped right into the water. It wasn't until I got halfway down that I realized my lung felt like it was about to collapse. Gray had an idiot moment. I popped the spell bead in my mouth and felt all the oxygen from the water go into my lungs. There…Much better. Back to the sparkling metropolis my beloved called home. Now, to get back to Juvia.

I swam straight for the castle, knowing she had to be there. The guards knew better than to mess with me by now. They saw what I was capable of. Not to mention, they feared what Juvia would do to them if they even laid a finger on me. I even feared for them a little. But what can I say? That's my girl. Keeping them on their toes. Sure enough, there she was and all her majesty, sprawled out on her throne next to her father, distracted by something…I'm sure I could remedy that.

"Hi there, princess," I called out to her. That made her head shot up, "Did you miss me?"

"Gray!" Juvia practically tackled me. She threw her arms around me and attempted to break me in half, "I'm so happy to see you!"

"I missed you, too," I held her close, "I got good news."

"What's that?" she got a better look at me and I swear her heart stopped, "Gray, what happened to your eye?!"

"What do you mean?"

"This!" Juvia put her hand to my cheek, feeling around my eye.

"Ow…" I winced, "Ok…Yeah…That hurts."

"What happened?" she freaked, "Who hurt you?!"

"I ran into a little trouble on the surface," I flinched a little, "Please be careful. That's still kind of tender. But my good news is that I got the amulet back."

"You have the amulet?" King Lockser joined us, "Can I see it?"

"Yeah," I pulled it out of my pocket, "I'm sure this is the one, right?"

"Yes, Gray," he nodded, "Thank you."

From my shoulder, I heard a little sob. Even worse, I saw tears coming down Juvia's cheeks, "Excuse me, Your Majesty, but could Juvia and I have a moment alone?"

"And not a moment more," King Lockser could see what was going on. He knew she wasn't ok. And he knew exactly what I was going to do.

"Juvia…" I spoke softly, lifting her chin up to me, "Are you alright?"

"You…" her voice quivered, "You were gone for so long…And then, you come back with a black eye…I wasn't there to protect you."

"Hey," I hugged her tight, "Juvia, I'm ok. I promise. Just a black eye. It's not the first one I've ever had and it probably won't be the last. All that matters is that I brought the amulet back. I took the spell bead. And the best part? I got you back right where you're supposed to be. Ok? Everything's going to be ok. And no one on the surface can get to us down here. Right?"

"That's right," Juvia wiped her eyes, "So, are we really safe?"

"Of course we are," I kissed the top of her head, "We're not going anywhere."

"But what about when your spell bead runs out?"

Juvia made a good point. I hadn't really thought about it. Then again, I was preoccupied with getting out of Magnolia, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. If I can find a spell that anchors a celestial spirit to this side of the gate, I can get them from Aquarius in bulk, I'm sure."

"But what if you can't?" she worried, "How are we going to build a life down here when you can only breathe up there? And when we're wanted up there?"

"I don't know," I ran my hand down her back, "But I'm sure we can find a way. You have to have something somehow."

"We don't have to worry about breathing underwater," Juvia pointed out, "So, we never had a need to develop anything like that…But…"

"But what?" I wondered.

"Gray…" she hardly spoke above a whisper, "You love me, right?"

"What kind of question is that?" I giggled a little, "Of course I do. You know I do. Juvia, I love you so much. If I didn't, I wouldn't have gone back for that amulet."

"That's good to hear." A little smile graced Juvia's face. It's so beautiful, "Do you think I could take you to see our doctor? Your eye really doesn't look good. And the quicker we can get that healed up, the better."

"Couldn't you heal it?" I asked, "I've seen you do it with my hand before."

"Those were minor scrapes, my love," she sighed, "This is beyond my capabilities. Please? I just want to make sure you're ok."

"Alright." Far be it for me to say no to that face. I followed Juvia out the front door of the castle and the two of us swam a little way down the channel to what I'm assuming was a doctor's office. What could he possibly do for me? I mean, he treats merfolk. What would a merfolk doctor know about human anatomy? I guess we're not so different from the waist up. For Juvia's sake, it's worth a shot.

"Your Highness," he bowed to her, "And the human that's caused so much commotion down here."

"This is Gray," Juvia introduced me, "Gray, this is Naboori. He's the appointed doctor to the royal family."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Gray," Naboori greeted me, "What can I do for you, Princess?"

"Gray had gotten into a fight on the surface," she reported, "Do you think you could make sure he's ok?"

"He doesn't seem too terribly bad," he figured, "But I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you," Juvia pulled him aside, keeping her voice down. I couldn't hear her. But then, she came back to me, kissing my cheek, "I love you, Gray."

"I love you, too," I took her hand, "What's the matter? You seem down."

"I just wish we didn't have to do this," she sighed, "Your poor face."

"I'm fine," I promised, "We don't even really need to do this."

"Just…" Juvia insisted, "Please, Gray."

"Alright," I followed Naboori to an exam room and let him do whatever he had to do. He checked my eye and my head…then, my shoulders…and my back…and my legs…Uhhh, "Hey, Naboori…?"

"Yes, Gray?"

"If you don't mind me asking," I wondered, "What are you doing?"

"Doing as the princess asked me," he finished at my feet, "Excuse me, your highness?"

"Yes, Naboori?" Juvia stuck her head in the door, "What is it?"

"He's a perfect candidate…"

What? I looked over at my loving girlfriend, hoping this was a good thing, "Juvia…What is he talking about?"

"Well…" Juvia bit her lip, refusing to look me in the eye.

"Princess," Naboori asked, "Would you like me to give you two a moment alone?"

"Please."

"As you wish," Naboori left.

"Juvia," I forced her gaze, "What was he talking about? Candidate for what?"

She still wouldn't answer me. Juvia stared down at her tail, "You love me, right, Gray?"

Something in her voice sounded different. I'm not sure how to describe it, but it was different, "Yeah. I already told you I did. You know I do."

"We don't know when your spell bead is going to wear off," she worried, "There's a procedure that Naboori can do that will somewhat alter your anatomy. And he can make it so we can be together. We can build our lives down here."

"I don't want anything altering my anatomy, Juvia," I drew a hard, hard line, "I'm sorry, but I think we'd have a better time getting more spell beads."

"I was afraid you'd say that…" Juvia stared into my eyes, her voice sounding different again, "You're going to do this for me. Whether you want to or not. Because you love me, Gray. Isn't that right?"

"Yes…" I don't know what came over me, but I couldn't say no to her. It was physically impossible.

"Naboori," Juvia ordered, "Knock him out. We can talk about this later."

**A/N: So Juvia's gone a little coocoo bonkers. Gray's gone a little coocoo bonkers. And I can't wait to see you tomorrow. Because everything's going to make more sense. So, I love you. And I'll see you next chapter! xx**


	19. The Siren's Amulet

Really? Again? I swear I'm getting locked in dark rooms so much that I might as well be Lucy. Only difference this time is that instead of dealing with a nasty headache (courtesy of Erza's fist. Isn't she sweet?), the room wouldn't stay still for longer than a second. What happened this time? Retrace your steps, Gray. The last thing I remember was going to see that Naboori guy. Naboori was Juvia's doctor. He was supposed to treat my black eye from Erza. After that, the world's a blur. And I couldn't shake this dizzy feeling. Juvia…Where did she go?

More importantly, why couldn't my legs move? No matter how hard I tried, they couldn't move. It was like they were stuck together. I could sway them from left to right and up and down, but I couldn't get them apart if I wanted to. Were they…Were they tied together? I reached down and felt some sort of restraint around my knees and my thighs. I needed to get out of here. And I needed to get out of here as soon as humanly possible.

"You might as well get used to that feeling," a gentle voice broke the silence, "It's good to see you're awake, my love."

"Juvia," I took on a serious tone with her, "What's going on? What's happening?"

"Shh…" Juvia put her hand to my forehead, lowering me back down to the bed, "It's alright, Gray. It's not going to hurt. At least I don't think so. I've never been through it. But I know you. You're so strong. You can handle anything. But even you need your rest before we can proceed. Are you comfortable?"

"I'm more confused than comfortable," I tried to relax, but I couldn't help myself. This uneasy feeling only grew stronger and stronger with every passing moment, "What's going on?"

"It will be alright, my love," she promised, "The procedure won't be too bad. Besides, all of the benefits will greatly outweigh the experience. While you're healing, I promise I'll take good care of you."

"What procedure?" Normally, the mere sound of Juvia's voice would be enough to put me at ease. Her presence could calm me down in no time. But this felt different. This didn't feel like my Juvia.

"Well," Juvia explained, "Naboori has been developing a certain procedure that he's been wanting to test. And if all goes well, which it should, you and I will be able to be together forever. It'll help your breathing problem. And you'll be able to swim better. So much better. And we'll be able to have our life together like we always wanted."

"So, what you're saying," I figured, "is that it's essentially going to make me like you."

"For the most part, yes," she confirmed, holding me against her chest, "Think about it, Gray. It's going to be so wonderful. We'll never have to be apart again. Every difference we have will become similarities. You won't ever need your old life down here. Just you and me like we always dreamed of. No more having to go to the surface. No one down here will try to arrest you or hurt you. Everything will be perfect. And one day, we'll even take over the kingdom. It'd be such an honor to serve my kingdom with you by my side. But in order for us to do that, you need to get your rest. Please…Just for a little while. If you want, I can have Naboori give you something to help you sleep."

"No," I turned her down, "I can handle that much on my own. But do you think we could talk first?"

"We don't need to talk," Juvia put her finger to my lips, "I already know what you're going to say. It's a brilliant idea. I understand that much. Soon, my darling. Soon. Now, get your rest. Because you're going to need it. I have no doubt that this procedure is going to be rather daunting physically. But you've taken on the strongest knights in the kingdom and came out on the other side with a few bumps and bruises. Sleep well, Gray…I love you."

I didn't like this. The doubting, the fear, my sudden inability to move. But it's for her. I mean, sure. It does seem kind of sudden that she's talking about these plans and ideas that I've never heard of a day in my life. Yet she talks about them like they've been set in stone since the day we met. I don't have nearly what it takes to run a kingdom. I'm lucky if I can keep myself alive, let alone make the decisions on behalf of an entire kingdom. And to make that kind of commitment to Juvia already…Something about this doesn't add up. But if it's what I need to do to keep her love, then so be it…Right?

I shut my eyes for a little while. It can't hurt. And she did tell me to rest up. If I didn't, I feel like she'd beat me senseless. If she's happy, then I'm happy. If that's the case, then why can't I sleep? Maybe I should've taken her up on that offer to have whatever help Naboori was going to give me. No. I don't need any more chemicals in my body. Not today. I'm sure that not before too long, I'll be able to force myself to fall asleep. Besides, I was exhausted already. Like I went nine rounds with Natsu on his best day.

Creeeeakkk…

"Gray…" a deep, burly voice called out into my room, "Are you awake?"

So much for sleeping. I inched my way up until I was vertical again. Considering my company, I'm sure it'd be rude if I talked to him while I was still lying down, "Your Majesty…What are you doing here?"

"You and I need to talk…"

Oh, great. Another one, "I've heard that phrase too much in the last forty-eight hours. Is everything alright? What's going on?"

"Do you mind if I tell you a story?" King Lockser sat at the edge of my bed. Maybe I had already fallen asleep and I happened to be dreaming. Although, a quick bite of my tongue would prove otherwise.

"Sure," I allowed, "Go ahead."

"In its own way," he pulled the amulet out of his robe pocket, "The story surrounds this. When I was a much younger merman, I had found a spot on the shore of a sandbar a few miles to the north of here. The former king and queen were looking for someone to arrange a marriage with for me. And the one they had picked out for me…Well…"

"She looked like someone deep-fried a boot?" I assumed.

"That was putting it delicately," King Lockser cringed at his memory, "Both inside and out. Not only was her face a horrendous sight, but something in her heart was even worse. Come to find out, her neighboring kingdom was more interested in assassinating the king and queen than for their princess to marry into it. Either way, they'd seize my kingdom."

"That sounds like fun."

"But I had to get away for a while," he went on, "Much like Juvia did, I had ran away from home for a few days, in need of somewhere to clear my head. Although, while she was running for love, I was running away from it. I didn't want to fall in love by force. I wanted it to be on my own terms."

Where have I heard this one before? That's right! Two people on the surface, sticking their noses where it didn't belong, "So, what happened?"

"I picked a direction and started swimming. But then, I found that sandbar." A sudden smile graced His Majesty's face, "That sandbar…It was almost as if it had called to me. Laying on its beach was the most breathtaking creature I had ever seen in my life. Instantly, I fell in love with her. It was impossible not to. Those big, blue eyes of hers stole my heart. Do you have any idea who that creature was?"

"I can't say that I do."

"It was Juvia's mother," King Lockser continued, "But I had heard about her kind before. She was a siren. She could lure any man to his death if they're not careful. But she was different. She and I fell in love and I couldn't imagine myself with anyone else. She fought every instinct she had and did it well until the day she died. Unfortunately, with her mother being a siren, half of that instinct had gone to Juvia. I thought that she'd be able to fight it, too, but she's letting it consume her instead. Before she had died, her mother gave me this amulet in case Juvia ever got out of hand."

"Oh…" I stared down at my feet…While they were still my feet, "So, you're saying Juvia's more siren than mermaid?"

"She's a halfling, yes," he confirmed, "I thought she'd be able to control it like her mother did. And she tried to teach her how to control that, but it looks like all the teaching in the world couldn't keep her from becoming this. My beloved gave me this amulet to stop her. I'm her father. I couldn't do that. No matter how bad she gets, she's still my little girl. That's why I'm giving it to you."

"What am I supposed to do with it?" I wondered, "I can't even move right now."

"You have to get out of here, Gray," King Lockser put the amulet in my pocket and started taking my leg restraints off, "I know there's some sort of penalty waiting for you on the surface, but for your own safety, you're better off up there than what you'd be down here."

"Father…" Uh-oh. Juvia's back. And she doesn't look happy, "What are you doing?"

"Juvia," he tried his best to settle her down, "You know this is wrong. You know you need to stop. You're going to end up hurting him. You have to let him go."

"I…have to…let him go?" she hardly spoke above a whisper. But then…That whisper got loud. Very, very loud, "YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME!"

Suddenly, Juvia let out an ear piercing screech that sent her father flying through the brick walls. But then, her attention turned quickly onto me, her eyes glaring into my soul, "Juvia…Please. You have to see some sort of reason here."

"Are you saying you _want _to leave me?" Juvia snarled, "Because you're not going anywhere. You said it yourself, Gray. You _love _me. YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME!"

"And you told me you weren't a siren!" I fought back, my head beginning to clear, "But here we are."

Without hesitation, Juvia threw a strong right hook across my jaw, "You're not leaving me. You're _mine, _Gray. You're not going anywhere."

"Yes, I am," I stood my ground, shaking off my restraints, "But first…Can I ask you a question? And I want an honest answer. For once."

"Of course," she obliged, "What is it?"

"Was any of it real?" I felt a sudden heaviness in my chest, "Us?"

"What?" Juvia's heart shattered in her eyes, "Of course it was."

"For me," I growled, not letting her see me sweat, "Was there any part of our relationship where I wasn't under your spell?"

"Gray…" she turned meek again, "No…Of course it was real. I love you. And deep down, you know you love me, too. No magic. No spell. No curse. You did fall in love with me."

"You were just some pretty face I found in the woods," I shrugged her off. So, that's what the amulet does…It's holder magic, "Nothing more. Then, your spell sunk into me."

"No!" Juvia threw herself into my arms, "You did. You fell in love with me…You still love me, Gray…"

"What did I tell you, ice cutie?" a familiar voice called from the hallway, "Mermaids are nuts."

**A/N: Hi, friends. Look! I'm down here! I know this is out really late, but to make things even worse…I'm canceling tomorrow's update. And I have a totally legit reason. First of all, the reason why I didn't post Monday, which you all know, is because I was spending the day in St. Louis with one of my cousins. But the thing about that was why she was in town in the first place. Between my brother's wedding (that I happened to be standing up in) and the week prior and the fact that I've been taking care of little ones all week while still getting chapters done, I'm fried. I need a little bit of a break. I may get one going sometime in the next week or so, but for right now, I'm taking a break before I turn my head and my brain drips out of my ear. **

**More importantly, because some people have already called it. Yes. Juvia's a siren. She's also going a little nuts. She's just a little girl who wants to be loved. Is that too much to ask for? Maybe the tying Gray up thing is a little extreme, but the things you do for love, right? But before I ramble, I really do hope you understand. I don't like taking breaks from you guys, but I'm wrecked. I love you all dearly and I'll see you next chapter. xx**


	20. Welcome Home, Gray Fullbuster

Some mornings, I can wake up and feel like I'm ready to take on the world. That's the way they're supposed to be, right? Waking up feeling completely recharged? If that's the case, then why do I feel like I just got into a fight? My legs are killing me, my head is pounding, and my lungs feel like they're about to collapse. Did I sleepwalk? Or did I sleep run a mile? Or both…It feels like both. First thing's first, where am I? The last thing I remember was falling asleep in Juvia's bed. After that, the world's a tad fuzzy. Yet, when I think about Juvia, my stomach turns. And not in a good way.

"Well," a gentle voice broke the silence, "Welcome back to the land of the living, Gray Fullbuster. It's nice to have you."

I felt around my surroundings for anything I could wrap my head around. Floor. Floor? Why am I on the floor? Regardless, I looked over toward the voice and saw a giant blue fishtail flopped over the edge of a bathtub. I wake up in a bathroom on the floor. Real nice, Gray. You know how to pick spots to pass out, don't you?

"Aquarius?" I rubbed my eyes, trying to get a grip on my current reality, "What are you doing here? And why are we in a bathroom?"

"Because," Aquarius explained, "I like Lucy's bathtub. It's one of her few redeeming qualities."

"Lucy's bathtub?" I wondered, "Are we in Magnolia?"

"At the home of one Lucy Heartfilia," she confirmed, "Yes, sir. There's plenty of room in this bathtub, if you'd care to join me, ice cutie."

"I think I'll have to pass," I shot her down, "But I appreciate the offer."

"Come on, Gray," Aquarius insisted, "It's not going to kill you. If anything, it'll probably make you feel better."

As much as it went against my better judgment, I pushed myself up from the floor and got into the bathtub with Aquarius, "I've never shared a bath with a celestial spirit before."

"Consider me the first and the last," she ordered, "And we won't have any problems."

"Message received."

"Now," Aquarius splashed around absentmindedly, drenching me in the process, "I'm sure you have questions. Go ahead. Whenever you're ready."

"What are we doing at Lucy's?" I asked.

"I already answered that one," she pointed out, "I like her bathtub. And now that you've asked one, I get to ask you one."

"Ok," I allowed, "I'm not sure how good of an answer I can give you, but I can try. What's up?"

"How do you feel about Juvia Lockser?" Aquarius studied me closely, waiting for my response.

"Well…" Juvia…Juvia…I'd be lying if I said we didn't have some good times. Whether or not that was her working her magic is another story, "I'm glad I'm away from her. If that counts for anything."

"It counts for everything," she pulled me against her chest, "It's so good to have you back, Gray."

"Thanks, Aquarius," I mumbled into her shoulder. Lucy wasn't kidding when she said Aquarius was one of her strongest spirits.

"Do you remember what happened?" Aquarius wondered, loosening her grip, "Anything at all?"

"Not really," I tried racking my brain for a scrap of what happened, but it's like the slate was wiped clean.

"Oh…" she winced, biting her lip, "Well, I hate to be the one to have to tell you this, Gray, but your girlfriend wanted you cut up."

"What do you mean?" I freaked, pushing her away, "What kind of cut up?!"

"She wanted your insides all kinds of turned around," Aquarius explained, "It would've been gross and messy. Her doctor friend was going to essentially replace some of your human parts with parts more suited for underwater. If I wouldn't have shown up, you would've ended up with gills. And that process is more extensive than you deserve. He would've rewired you to suit whatever needs Juvia had. But I showed up, saved the day, and brought you here."

"Really…?"

"No," she chuckled a bit, "You had a hold of her amulet and came to again. She's currently an ice cube, never to be thawed out, never to hurt anyone ever again. Her father sends his thanks."

"No problem." Then, I remembered someone else I happened to do that to, "Aquarius…You said we were at Lucy's, right?"

"That's right," Aquarius brought her tail back over into the water, "Do you think you could make yourself useful and rub my tailfin?"

"Uh…" That was out of left field. I'm not sure if I should or not.

"It's my tailfin, Gray," she rolled her eyes, "It'd be like rubbing my feet, you pervert."

"Oh…" I blushed as Aquarius waved her tailfin in front of my face, "Yeah. I suppose so."

"So," Aquarius went on as I started rubbing on her tailfin, "Oh…Oh, Gray…I may need to keep you around more. You need to show Scorpio how to do that. Don't get me wrong. I love him to death, but when he does that for me, he doesn't do it nearly as good as you do."

"Focus, Aquarius," I brought her back, "Or I'll stop rubbing your tailfin."

"Alright," she whined, "Playing hardball, are we? Fine. What did you want?"

"You wouldn't happen to know how Natsu's doing," I worried, "Would you?"

"I do."

"He's thawing out as we speak," Lucy walked in, her hand over her eyes, "If I would've known what was going on in my bathroom, I would've stayed outside."

"Sorry," I cringed, "I didn't mean to…Aquarius asked me to come in the bathtub and then, she asked me to rub her tailfin and it's all been weird, I know."

"Gray," Lucy stopped me, "I don't need to hear the details. There's no need to explain yourself. Aquarius took advantage of the situation."

"What do you want, Lucy?" Aquarius groaned, "We're in the middle of something."

"I can see that," she shuddered, "I came to check on Gray. And I see you're in one piece."

"Yeah," I nodded, jumping out of the water, "For the most part. Hi, Lucy."

"How are you feeling?" Lucy threw me a towel.

"Cynical and out of love with a lunatic siren/mermaid hybrid," I reported.

"And we wouldn't have you any other way," she wrapped her arms around me, "It's good to have you back, Gray. We missed you."

"I got a lot of bridges to fix, don't I?" I assumed. Just because I had Juvia out of my head didn't mean I forgot everything I had done.

"You can beat yourself up later," Lucy promised, "Right now, just focus on getting better."

"You know," I gave her a halfhearted smile, "I really don't deserve you some days, Lucy."

"Shut up," she giggled, giving me a little swat to the shoulder, "If you want to start working on those bridges you burned, I think I know a good place for you to start."

"I do, too," I knew where she was going with this.

"Aquarius," Lucy ordered, "Go back to your gate."

"Excuse me?" Aquarius scoffed, "I don't think so, princess. You took my ice cutie from me. I'm stealing your bathtub for at least another hour."

"Whatever," Lucy wasn't going to fight with her. Maybe because she didn't have the energy to. Or maybe because she knew better. Aquarius could kill her without hesitation, "But Gray, come here. I know where you can start."

"And where's that, Lucy?" I followed her out of her bathroom and into her bedroom.

"Do you think you could maybe unfreeze Natsu?" she asked nicely, "Because he's been trying to thaw himself out and…Well…Let's just say, it hasn't been going well."

"Sure," I agreed, "I mean, it's the least I can do."

"I'd say so!" a familiar, angry voice snapped. And I couldn't help but laugh hysterically at the sight in front of me. Natsu's angry head sticking out of a block of ice, flailing around because his arms and legs can't do that, "QUIT LAUGHING AT ME, YOU JERK! I DIDN'T ASK TO BE LIKE THIS!"

"Alright, alright," I came down, "I'm sorry. I was under…"

"Go ahead, Gray," Natsu demanded, "Say it. Out loud, so everyone can hear it."

"It's only you, me, and Lucy, Natsu."

"And me!" Happy chimed in, beached on the kitchen counter, "By the way, Lucy, if you had any intentions of eating fish for the next week, you may have to go to the market."

"Thanks, Happy," Lucy grumbled under her breath, "So glad I do _my _grocery shopping for _you._"

"You've done a great service," he drifted off into his usual post meal nap.

"Say it, Gray!" Natsu snapped, "Say it!"

"Alright!" I barked, "I was under the control of a halfling."

"I told you…Wait…" he stopped himself, "A halfling?"

"Juvia wasn't lying to me when she said she wasn't a siren," I explained, "She was only half siren. The other half was mermaid."

"Wasn't Juvia the girl we met when we got back from the Star Lake job?" Natsu looked toward Lucy, doing his best to crank his neck around.

"The very same," Lucy nodded, "How did she get on land, though, Gray? I thought a mermaid's lower half was a giant fishtail."

"It is," I started melting the ice block that kept Natsu from killing me, "I asked Mirajane to give her legs. They only lasted as long as she didn't touch her oasis in the woods. After that, she'd get her tail back. Juvia said she always wanted to walk on land, but because of her tail, she never could. So, I brought Mira to her and she could project her magic on Juvia's tail. That's how she got on land. She said she hated it, so she brought me to her kingdom."

"Kingdom?" Natsu gave me a look, "What do you mean?"

"She was…" I braced myself, "She was a princess of her realm. Her father is the king. Her mother was the siren that fought her nature tooth and nail for love."

"That's so sad," Lucy awed.

"Yeah," Natsu scoffed, "Real depressing stuff."

"Natsu," she put her arm in front of me, keeping me from thawing his ice any further. And then, she gave him a heavy-handed smack to the head.

"Ow!" he squeaked, "That was uncalled for, Lucy! Not to mention, unfair! I can't move in this thing!"

"Good," Lucy sat back down, "Maybe Gray should've thawed more of your head first. That way, you'd know to think before you speak!"

"I love you, too," Natsu made kissy faces at her until she smiled out of pity.

"You're an idiot, Natsu Dragneel," she kissed his cheek, "But you're my idiot."

"Can I continue please?" I gagged, "I promise I won't be long."

"Are there any aftereffects I should be worried about?" Natsu wondered.

"Your muscles may have atrophied a little," I thought, "And you might have the occasional phantom cold chill, but other than that, you'll be totally fine."

"Great," he pouted, "Muscle atrophy. Just what I want to deal with."

"I said it'd be minor," I rolled my eyes, working on the blockhead in front of me, "A few stretches and they'll come back. That's if you even have it. You'll live. When I was doing my training, Ur would leave me in a block of ice for a week and I'd be able to come out of it fine. And that's while my muscles were still developing."

"Not all of us are popsicles like you!"

"You're such a baby."

"Snowman!"

"Hot head!"

And just like that, Lucy started rolling, her laughter filling the room. In the weirdest way, it gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. Like everything was going to be ok. Although, Natsu wouldn't leave that alone, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Lucy wiped the tears from her eyes, "Absolutely nothing. It's just good to hear you two arguing like normal. It lets me know that everything's going to be ok."

Looks like I'm not the one thinking it, "Because everything is going to be ok."

"Less talky," Natsu snapped, "More melty."

"I'm working on it," I kept melting the ice, "Shut up or I'll freeze your head back up and melt the rest of you."

"Yep," he grumbled, "Gray's back. Jerk."

"Are you really ok, though, Gray?" Lucy worried, "Because the rest of the guild is looking for an update."

"I'll be alright," I confirmed, "But am I still a part of the guild? I'm sure Master Makarov isn't exactly happy with me right now."

"He understands," she assured, "He knows you weren't yourself. He's not happy with you, but he's not kicking you out of the guild. You're stuck with us."

Lucy's words of encouragement were enough to put a smile on my face and a lighter feeling in my heart. That's good to hear. I hurt a lot of people when Juvia had me. The sooner I can start making things right, the better. And the first thing on that list was definitely getting Natsu out of his frozen prison. When I got to his feet, I tipped over, already exhausted.

"There," I laid on Lucy's living room floor, "I'm done. Can I take a nap now?"

"Not quite," Natsu stumbled a couple steps, but the island caught his fall, "Is this the atrophy you were talking about, Gray?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "Walk it off. You'll be alright."

"You know," he stretched out some more, "I think I have an idea of how we can get my muscles back to working normal."

"And how's that, Natsu?" I asked, pulling myself back onto my feet. Although, I wasn't on them long. Natsu says his muscles were atrophied, but he also threw a punch that sent me through Lucy's ceiling. This guy has to be superhuman somehow.

"I TOLD YOU SO!" Natsu screeched at the top of his lungs, "BUT NO! DON'T LISTEN TO NATSU! HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT! HE'S JUST THE ONLY ONE THAT'S NOT UNDER THE CONTROL OF A SIREN LIKE A GIANT IDIOT!"

Alright. I had that coming. Totally had that coming. As much as I wanted to fight him back, I deserved that punch. Although, I'd be lying if I said I felt fine on the way back down. Ow…Because the headache and the pain in my legs wasn't enough. Let's add one to my back, too. What can I say? Small price to pay for what I've done.

"Alright," I limped with the wind knocked out of me, "I deserved that."

"So," Natsu's glare softened a bit, "You going to do something stupid like that again?"

"Probably not," I assumed, "No hard feelings?"

"No hard feelings," he held me up, "It's good to have you back, man."

"Better to be back." Good. If there was one person in the guild I didn't want against me, it's Natsu. Not that I'd ever say this out loud, but he's one of the strongest we got. And I can't think of many others I'd rather fight alongside.

"Are you up for a trip to the guild hall, Gray?" Lucy asked, "Master Makarov said he wanted to see you once you were feeling better."

"Might as well rip that bandage off," I leaned against Natsu's shoulder, "I just hope no one else tries to beat me senseless when I get there."

"Just Erza," Natsu assumed, "I think she's still there. She did say she wanted to get back to work as soon as possible, though, so maybe she took a job."

For the sake of my skin, I hope so. Erza and I didn't exactly part on good terms. If I remember correctly, I pickpocketed her, lied to her, and threw Jellal in her face. Yeah. If I come out of this alive, I'll be amazed. Because despite my head being somewhere else, she'll be punching first and asking questions later. The walk to the guild hall felt long and cold. Not like I was coming home, but like I was marching to my death sentence. I hope I'm not disappointed when I get there.

"Surprise!"

What?

The entire Fairy Tail guild had gathered in the main room. No balloons and streamers, but there might as well have been. I nearly disowned my entire guild…my family…all for some girl that had been controlling me from the start. I hurt so many of them in ways that are unforgivable. Yet, I get welcomed back in like a hero with open arms? No. Something about this didn't feel right.

"Welcome back, Gray," Mira greeted me like nothing had ever happened. As if I were coming back from a job, "You are back, aren't you?"

"Uh…" I wasn't sure how to feel here. Instead, I slipped out the front door.

What are they doing? Are they all stupid? Am I dreaming? Maybe I'm still that juiced on whatever sedatives Juvia had her doctor friend give me. Or maybe it's her magic keeping me in some sort of trance and I'm already recovering from that surgery they were talking about. But I know one thing was for sure. After everything I've done…the lies I've had to tell, the people I've had to hurt, I do not deserve a hero's welcome back. I ran out to the big tree behind the guild hall and climbed it just enough to set at the bottom of the branches. This was too much and I needed to process.

"Should've known I would've found you up here," a rumbly voice spoke from below, "You're like a cat some days, Gray. You really are."

"Master…" I looked down, not wanting to make eye contact with him, "I shouldn't be here."

"Where else should you be?" Master Makarov took a seat on the ground, accepting the fact that he wouldn't be getting me down any time soon.

"I don't know," I stared into my knees, "Not here, though. I don't deserve it."

"And why's that?"

"Because," I explained, "I've stained the good name of the Fairy Tail guild. Everyone should hate me."

"No," Master Makarov stopped me, "I've let you brood enough. Gray, do you know why no one hates you? Why everyone wanted you back? Why I wanted you to come here once you were feeling better?"

"Because capital punishment goes against the Wizards' Code, yet you could all take me out with no problem? And given that you're one of the Wizard Saints, the council would be willing to look the other way for this?"

"No," he groaned, "Because you just got back from a job. Because you just took out a siren at all costs. Even if that meant making some of your friends your enemies along the way. That's what needed to be done. You said you were going to handle that siren and in the end, you did."

"I only froze her," I pointed out, "It's not like I killed her. And Aquarius did more of the work than I did, so shouldn't this one technically go to Lucy?"

"I heard you had a contract with Aquarius as well," Master Makarov went on, "She kept us informed."

Thanks, Aquarius. Narc, "Well…Yeah. Kind of."

"And how did you get another gate key for her?"

"I…" I hung my head in shame, "I offered protection to one of the wizards in the underground. One that we put away a while back. He's out and running a black market stall these days."

"Which one?" Master Makarov wondered.

"Tova."

"Ugh," he rolled his eyes, "Of all the dark wizards we've put away over the years, you had to make friends with a weasel like Tova?"

"Sorry…Now you see why I don't deserve the hero's welcome?"

"Shut up, Gray," Master Makarov threw a rock at me. That's more like it. That's more of what I deserve, "Did you take the siren down?"

"Yeah, but…"

"Is she still causing harm to others?"

"No, but…"

"Alright then," Master Makarov started shaking the tree, "Now, come down before I have to come up there and get you."

"But what about…?"

"Don't worry about Erza," he settled me, "I've already talked to her. She's doing her best to deal with whatever it was you said to her. She wouldn't even repeat it to me, but you know how Erza is. She doesn't exactly wear her heart on her sleeve."

"Don't I know it," I jumped down from the tree, "Are you sure I should be allowed back in there?"

"We're not letting you skate entirely," Master Makarov stipulated, "You're on probation for the next week, just to make sure that she's not in your head anymore. And I figure a week is enough to make you go stir crazy."

"What about working, though?" I wondered, "How am I supposed to take a job if I'm not allowed to leave Magnolia?"

"There's always local things you could do," he suggested, "Or you could take someone with you to keep an eye on you. You have a team for that."

"Yeah," I scoffed, "But most of them hate me."

"That's because you really have to get under Lucy's skin to have her truly hate you," Master Makarov and I walked back into the guild hall through the back door, "And Natsu…You and Natsu have always butted heads. You know that."

"I guess I could start by fixing the hole in Lucy's roof," I shrugged, "I mean, it was Natsu's fault, but he used my body to do it, so…"

"Gray," he let out a heavy sigh of exasperation, "What am I going to do with you two?"

"You could kick me out of the guild," I insisted, "It is what I…"

"Would you stop with the brooding already?" Master Makarov gave me a heavy handed swat upside my head, "It's bad enough I already have a…let's just call him an associate, that I need to bail out of jail today. Don't make things worse for me. You're home, Gray. You're back with the family that loves you and all your stupidity regardless. So, suck it up. You're stuck with us."

Is it really that simple? That I'm stuck with them? Looks like I can't get out of this if I wanted to.

A few days later, I really was starting to go stir crazy. Master Makarov knew what my breaking point was. So, when no one was looking, I figured what better way to settle my wanderlust than an aimless wander in the woods? I knew where that oasis was, so I could avoid it like the plague. In all this craziness that had been going on in the past month and a half, I forgot how nice these woods are. They're…I don't know. Peaceful.

"Excuse me…" an older woman approached me, "Gray Fullbuster?"

"Yeah…" I gave her a look. Something about her seemed familiar, but I don't think I've ever seen her before a day in my life, "Who are you?"

"Hmm…" she put her fingers on my chest. Wait, when did I lose my shirt? A little smile crept across her face, "Your frozen heart doesn't seem to be frozen anymore…That's good. And I'm glad to see you're safe. But…Something else troubles you, child."

"Who are you, lady?" I backed off.

"It appears your heart is encapsulated in armor now," she walked away with a smirk, "Good luck, Gray Fullbuster!"

Who was that lady?

**A/N: Full circle, Gray. Full circle. **

**So, hi. Hello. How are we doing? Guess what, kids? We're done. Happy last chapter. That's right. We got a happy ending. Gray's home where he's supposed to be. Everything turned out pretty ok. And Master Makarov wasn't going to deal with his being a Mr. Pouty Pants. By the way, speaking of Master Makarov, for those of you who haven't picked up on it, have you noticed that throughout this story and in the Princess and the Dragon, he's always mentioned having some sort of associate or an old friend? That's a little secret. An Easter egg, if you will. For those of you familiar with the gem of the internet known as 50% Off (It's an abridged series of Free!. It's delightful, even if you've never seen Free! a day in your life.), there's a reoccurring entity known only as Easter Dave, who has Nagisa Hazuki employed to do God only knows what. He's kind of like a mafia boss. Now, in a certain Fairy Tail abridged series on the other side of the internet, Master Makarov said that he had to take care of something for an old friend. Master Makarov _is _Easter Dave. It's just one of those things that's better in context. Anyway!**

**So, yeah. This is it. It was fun hanging around you guys for the last few months. Since…January? Is this what I started posting after Yuri on Ice? I think so…February! I started posting this in February. So, it's been around for a few months. It's been one of those things that have been boiling in the back of my mind and I'm glad that I had you here to enjoy it. Or hate read it. Either way. I'm glad to have had you. Well, now that I have a clean week again, if you have anything you'd like to request, most fandoms allowed, you're more than welcome to make said request. It'd be really cool. I mean, I've kind of started a little bit of a series here. Taking a fairy tale and giving it a Fairy Tail twist. I'd love to do a version of Beauty and the Beast with Gajeel and Levy, but I'm not quite sure how I'd work that angle. Not yet anyway. It'll need some tweaking. But you know where my review section is. You know where my inbox is. Chances are, we'll talk. So, I guess I'll see you guys later.**


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